The EESC welcomes the new EU Disability Rights Strategy, acknowledging that it is a clear step forward compared with the previous one. It is however concerned about the lack of binding measures and hard legislation implementing the Strategy.
Among other recommendations, the Committee regrets the lack of specific actions addressing the needs of women and girls with disabilities and calls for a specific flagship initiative in the second half of the period of the Strategy. It also calls for the full involvement and participation of organisations of persons with disabilities in the proposed Disability Platform. As regarding the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the EESC feels it should be strongly linked to the Disability Strategy and used to help persons with disabilities recovering from the pandemic.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities
In this opinion, the EESC underlines that the Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights should be based on concreteness and tangibility, with actions that are measurable and accompanied by monitoring frameworks jointly agreed among relevant stakeholders and encompassing the social, environmental, and economic criteria. The EESC acknowledges the diversity and the common basis of social models across the EU. Competitiveness and higher productivity based on skills and knowledge are a sound recipe for maintaining the well-being of European societies. The EESC further believes that greater efforts can be made at EU and Member State level in the area of combating poverty, in line with the first Sustainable Development Goal under the UN 2030 Agenda.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Action plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
The Commission proposal contributes to the creation of a "Europe fit for the digital age" that can make the most of the digital transition, in order to give citizens better opportunities to connect, communicate and facilitate professional and business activity in the single market. The Committee welcomes this draft European regulation and deems it necessary that the proposal at last aim to provide consumers with the same level of service and protection abroad as at home.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Review of the Roaming Regulation
The communication presents a vision, targets and avenues for a successful digital transformation of Europe by 2030. It proposes to agree on a set of digital principles, to rapidly launch important multi-country projects, and to prepare a legislative proposal setting out a robust governance framework, to monitor progress – the Digital Compass.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Europe’s Digital Decade: 2030 Digital Targets
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Regulation as regards official controls on animals and products of animal origin exported from third countries to the Union to ensure compliance with the prohibition of certain uses of antimicrobials (Amendment)
The proposed European Metrology Partnership will build on the European metrology research programme (EMRP) and the European metrology programme on innovation and research (EMPIR). Metrology being the scientific study of measurement, it is a key enabler of economic and social activity. To maintain its competitive leadership in emerging technologies and new product development, by 2030 Europe's metrology solutions need to be at least equal to the top global performers.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Participation of the Union in the European Partnership on Metrology
The European recovery strategy is very clear, focusing on the twin transition: green and digital, and addressing strategic dependencies. In this regard, the joint undertakings have a very important role to play in bringing together European expertise from different economic sectors, fostering competitiveness, improving skills and strengthening the industrial base. In its opinion, the EESC analyses the nine institutionalised European partnerships covered by the Commission proposal based on Article 187 TFEU establishing individual joint undertakings for their implementation and formulates some recommendations regarding their framework and ecosystem.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe
Welcomes Europe's Beating Cancer Plan as a milestone in the fight against cancer and calls for a concrete roadmap for its implementation, with performance indicators, realistic timeframes and close involvement of Social Partners (SP) and Civil Society Organisations (CSO).
Considers important that the EU and Member States ensure the availability of igh-quality, accessible healthcare infrastructure and effective support systems for patients' physical and mental well-being.
Asks for the negative consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in accessing to health services to be urgently addressed, recognising as well the supportive role SP and CSO can play in this area.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Europe's beating cancer plan
This opinion is the EESC's contribution to the implementation of the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) published by the European Commission in December 2020. The EESC welcomes the document, which it views as both positive and necessary, and recommends that the European Commission add to it a specific pillar for the involvement of civil society and social partners and the promotion of labour democracy. Indeed, the EESC regrets that the EDAP has failed to address the important role of the social contract, social dialogue and collective bargaining in reducing inequalities and encouraging Europeans to embrace democratic ideals. The EESC also believes that greater emphasis should be placed on civil dialogue, and it therefore reiterates its call for the creation of an annual Civil Society Forum on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law (SOC/627).
Download — Opinia EKES-u: European democracy action plan
In its own-initiative opinion, the EESC examines the extent to which existing EU company law currently serves as an "expedient" for the politically-desirable Green Deal and which gaps still need to be closed, in particular regarding corporate social responsibility obligations. The opinion aims at following-up on the European Commission's initiative on due diligence and broadening the debate on sustainable corporate governance interlinking the social, environmental and economic dimensions.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: No Green Deal without a Social Deal
This opinion examines how European legislation on circular public procurement can combine the main purpose of the contract with environmental protection, greater attention to SMEs, sustainable local production and the protection of social rights. This can be achieved by seeking and favouring solutions with a lower impact on the environment throughout their lifespan.
The EESC believes that evidence based processes like Health Technology Assessment (HTA) that is a key driver for socio-economic growth and innovation in the Union can be achieved through cooperation between Member States at Union level aiming at a high protection of health for patients and ensuring the smooth functioning of an inclusive Single Market. It is concerned about the set timelines of implementation and especially the delayed application of three years and believes that for the benefit of the patients and cost-effectiveness this could be shortened. In order to achieve the promise of digital health and care, of which HTA is part, the involvement of civil society is crucial.
Council of the EU compromise on COM(2018) 51 final – 2018/0018 (COD)
