The Committee maintains that lessons need to be learned from recent economic and financial crises and a fresh approach adopted to ensure more effective supervision by national, European and international authorities and increased accountability of financial institutions.
The Committee supports the measures aimed at strengthening banks' capital structure and their ability to finance the economy.
The challenges that the EU currently face are manifold: the emergence of new markets and new technologies, a transition towards more sustainable consumption and investment, an ageing workforce, changes in labour markets and the ongoing economic and financial crisis. Companies and employees should anticipate these challenges. The Committee underlines that companies – especially SMEs – constitute the key players in restructuring processes.
Practical and effective action should be taken. The social partners, organized civil society, consumers, local leaders and knowledge and skills networks should be involved in this process. The EU's structural and cohesion policies as well as its innovation and research policies should be geared to proactive support to anticipate and accompany restructuring. Key tools are EU education, training and lifelong learning programmes. Investment and industrial policies should support the transition to a low-carbon European economy.
Download — Restructuring and anticipation of change: what lessons from recent experience? (Green Paper)
