On 20 July 2016, the European Commission released two proposals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the non-ETS sectors (transport, buildings, agriculture and waste), the so-called “Effort Sharing Regulation” for the 2030 climate and energy framework, as well as a separate Regulation for the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector. These proposals aim to contribute to the goal of the overall reduction of EU's emissions in 2030 by at least 40%. The EESC is currently drafting its Opinion on the two proposals, foreseen to be adopted in December 2016. The public hearing will provide a platform for various stakeholders to express their views on the Commission proposals and exchange views with the EESC Members from the Study Group preparing the Opinion.
Events
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In the context of its work on the revision of the EU Blue Card Directive, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has organised a public hearing on Thursday, 8 September 2016. The aim was to identify the elements of an EU strategy for attracting skilled workers and to discuss how the EU Blue Card should be revised.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is currently drawing up an own initiative opinion on "Promoting innovative and high growth firms". In order to gain further insights the EESC is organising a public hearing on 7 July 2016 at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, with the objective to contribute to map Europe's challenges and opportunities in this area and to create an environment supportive of creating innovative and high growth firms. The hearing will help formulating recommendations for policy makers on measures and actions needed to address the situation.
In the light of the ongoing EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is drafting an own-initiative opinion on "The position of the EESC on specific key issues of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations". In this framework, the EESC is organising a public hearing, to be held at the Committee premises on 30 June 2016, beginning at 9 a.m.
In times of limited fiscal space it is ever more important to effectively use the EU budget to contribute to achieving the policy goals of the European Union, in particular as regards growth and job creation. We need to emphasise budgetary performance more strongly than in the past. For this to happen the nature and the scope of the expenditure is crucial. Moreover, better results can be assured by consequent application of a control framework and performance-based budgeting, using a comprehensive set of performance indicators.A performance-oriented culture is, however, not acquired in a single step, but through a process of development.
To drive forward this process the EESC is organising a public hearing on "A performance-based EU budget and its focus on real results: The key to sound financial management", was held at the EESC's premises on Wednesday, 29 June 2016, starting at 2.30 p.m
The 2030 Agenda is an action plan for people, planet and prosperity. It sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets in order to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what these did not achieve. The targets seek to ensure everyone's human rights and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and indivisible, and they balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. They are also to be implemented according to the principle of "leaving no-one behind".
This public hearing will discuss the current state of multilateral trade negotiations on agriculture. After the Nairobi agreement of export competition, some progress could be made on the areas of market access (tariffs and quotas) and, to some extent, on domestic support.
The organisation and provision of long-term care (LTC) is a challenge many Member States are facing. The sector is low paid, highly feminised and employs often undocumented migrant workers. It suffers from workforce imbalances and skills shortages. Situations of undeclared work and poor working conditions affect mainly "live-in" care workers. Proactive measures to encourage the creation of quality, well-paid jobs in the sector with decent working conditions are needed to ensure an adequate labour supply for the LTC sector. The public hearing - which will contribute to the opinion on the subject - will elaborate on the human and social rights of "live-in" care workers in the context of labour supply and mobility issues. It will explore these issues in the interplay of labour and migration policies.
The European Commission made a proposal for a directive on a European Accessibility Act, which will set common accessibility requirements for certain key products and services, and will help people with disabilities at EU level to participate fully in society.
The EESC is currently preparing an opinion on the Commission's proposal . On 13 April 2016, the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC) will hold a public hearing in conjunction with the work on this opinion.
The conclusions of the hearing will feed directly into the work of the drafting group which will hold its second meeting in the afternoon of the same day.
EESC's public hearing on the European Citizens Initiative in the context of the ongoing review process. Questions to be tackled: policy areas covered by the ECI and the validation process; the current political limits to participatory democracy on a European level; the role of the EU institutions and Member States in the process and a better defined support.