Already in 2018 the European Commission has proposed a Regulation on a mechanism to resolve legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context for the programming period 2021-2027. At the time, the EESC has adopted its opinion on 19 September 2018, and the European Parliament adopted its first-reading position on the proposal in February 2019. However, the Council's working party on structural measures decided to cease work on the proposal in May 2021. In October 2022, to break the impasse and take the lead on this issue, the EP's Committee on Regional Development started drawing up a legislative-initiative report, calling on the Commission to present a new legislative proposal. The EP voted the report at its September 2023 plenary session.
In this opinion, the EESC underlines that is highly important for the EU Talent Pool to be a practical, reliable, easy to use tool that is attractive for workersandemployers and supports fair and ethical legal labour migration into the EU. It insists that skills and competences of workers from third countries should be assessed and swiftly validated to ensure that their skills are certified and they can obtain their qualifications when necessary.
In order to improve the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime in the EU, the EESC recommends that Member States provide their customs administrations and police forces with adequate human and technical resources, decent pay, working conditions and continued training. The opinion highlights that trade unions representing police and customs officials should be involved to better identify human resources and equipment needs. The EESC advocates better cross-border law enforcement coordination between police and customs authorities, and better cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities as well as fiscal authorities in order to combat organised crime as effectively as possible. The opinion also underlines that combating the abuse of drugs necessitates a differentiated, whole-of-society approach, remarking that drug use should be tackled more by means of preventive and accompanying measures and less through repression.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Roadmap on anti-drug trafficking
The EC Communication with title "Towards a more resilient, competitive and sustainable Europe" summarises what has been achieved to promote and build a more resilient, competitive and sustainable economy, protect EU citizens and guarantee their well-being.
In its opinion, the EESC wishes to put forward its views on the Communication, adopted in connection with the Granada summit, so that its position can be taken into account during preparations for the next European legislative mandate. Given the range of issues addressed in the Communication, the opinion is focussing on four key sectors for the future of European strategic autonomy: the energy sector, the digital sector, the defence sector and the space sector. In its opinion, the EESC makes concrete proposals to highlight the need for a European economic and political power.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Towards a more resilient, competitive and sustainable Europe
The proposal for a Directive to amend the Package Travel Directive aims to make the protection of travellers more effective, including in crisis situations.
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The EU-UK Follow-up Committee (Committee) was set up in March 2021 for the purpose of maintaining and strengthening relations between EU and UK civil society organisations, as well as for pursuing any activities contributing to enhancing the relationship between the EU and the UK.
EESC opinion "Towards a European Rural Agenda" (NAT/914).
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Towards a greater involvement of Member States, Regions and Civil Society actors in the implementation of the Long-Term Vision for the EU's Rural Areas
The purpose of the opinion is to contribute to the further development of foresight in EU's policy-making. The opinion provides the EESC's views on the Commission's 2023 Annual foresight Report, which focused on the sustainability and people's wellbeing at the heart of Europe's Open Strategic Autonomy, as well as recommendations on how to strengthen the Strategic Foresight Agenda.
In this Opinion on the Defence of Democracy package, the EESC fully supports the transparency objectives of the proposed Directive on interest representation of third countries, but it also strongly disagrees with the proposed means. It therefore calls for a comprehensive EU-level approach that does not stigmatise interest representation service providers, does not shrink civic spaces in the EU, and does not undermine the credibility of the EU as an international actor. Concerning the Recommendation on elections, the EESC calls for harmonising the electoral process in all Member States to make it more inclusive and resilient, and fully accessible for all EU citizens with disabilities. Concerning the Recommendation on participation, the EESC calls for strengthening participative democracy, reforming the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), and setting up an EU-level framework for effective participation.
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The report evaluates the implementation of the European Social Fund (ESF) during the 2014-2020 programming period. It focuses on the ESF's goals of enhancing employment, promoting and developing education and training, and supporting vulnerable groups with a view to fostering social inclusion and equal opportunities. The report looks at ESF implementation from the perspective of the social partners and civil society, in accordance with the European Commission’s Better Regulation guidelines. The evaluation criteria include effectiveness, relevance and the value of civil society involvement. In-depth interviews were organised with local stakeholders and an online questionnaire was sent out in five EU Member States (Czechia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain).
Download — Evaluation of European Social Fund 2014-2020
On 24 October 2023 the European Commission adopted a set of actions to better prevent and mitigate critical medicine shortages in the EU. Recent critical shortages, including of certain antibiotics last winter, show that continued coordinated action is needed to address supply challenges and to make Europe's medicine supply chains more resilient in the long run. The main objective of the Communication is to prevent and mitigate critical shortages at EU level, focusing in particular on the most critical medicines, for which security of supply in the EU must be ensured at all times.
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At the request of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the EESC is drawing up this opinion to suggest recommendations on how to tackle inequalities, foster upwards social convergence and strengthen social security systems and ensure its long-term affordability, in an EU economic governance framework/European Semester defined around debt sustainability, productive investments and reforms. This opinion is also focusing on the implications of such a framework for the European Semester, and the further strengthening of the social pillar herein. Finally, the opinion also looks at ways of continuing to further develop fiscal instruments that have a stabilising role at the European level, based e.g. on the experience of SURE.
Download — Opinia EKES-u: Boosting long-term inclusive growth through reforms and investment
