The Rio 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development must send out a clear signal to the world community, with specific proposals for the transition to an economic order based on qualitative economic growth that helps to eliminate poverty and social injustice whilst preserving natural resources for future generations.
The EESC is convinced that ensuring access to resources, food and energy should be amongst the priorities of the global sustainability agenda.
Policy measures and clear indicators must be established to measure progress on the road to greater sustainability.
Download — EESC Opinion: Contribution of European organised civil society to UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio (Rio+20)
The Commission's communication sets out a strategy for the implementation of the charter in the new legal environment created by the Lisbon Treaty. The charter must serve as a compass for the Union's policies and their implementation by the Member States. The EESC finds that the Commission should strengthen the culture of fundamental rights at all government levels and across all policy and legislative domains level. It is as well urgent to establish a strategy for monitoring and for rapid reaction.
Download — EESC opinion: Strategy for the effective implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights by the European Union
The central message of this exploratory opinion is the need for a coordinated approach on renewable energies in the region, one that is based on co-development.
The EESC welcomes the Commission document COM(2011) 25 final Tackling the Challenges in Commodity Markets and on Raw Materials and The European raw materials' initiative (RMI) as an important step to tackle this vital issue.
EESC thus urges the EC to monitor the situation in international trade of critical raw materials (as listed in COM(2011) 25 final and with regular updating of this list). In addition, we endorse the need to continue in negotiation at the international level (WTO) to promote free trade also in commodity markets.
The EESC urges a more active foreign policy regarding security of raw materials for EU industry.
Download — Tackling the challenges in commodity markets and on raw materials
The Europe 2020 strategy's objective is to use smart, sustainable and inclusive growth to emerge from the crisis. The Digital Agenda for Europe pinpoints as obstacles the lack of digital skills, the risk of low trust in networks, cybercrime and missed opportunities in addressing societal challenges. Unequal ICT access is primarily an extension of financial and social inequalities; there is an urgent need to develop growth and employment in order to secure a successful exit from the crisis. For ALL citizens, having a critical grasp of the contents of all media tools means 1) being online; 2) knowing how to use the equipment; 3) being at home with technology; 4) being trained to use it; 5) being part of the e society. E-inclusion must follow a global approach and ensure everyone's independence, regardless of their position in society.
Download — Enhancing digital literacy, e-skills and e-inclusion
