The opinion assesses the revision of the General Block Exemption Regulation to evaluate its practical functioning and propose ways to simplify, broaden and clarify the EU State aid framework.
The EESC welcomes the Proposal for a Regulation for the Digital Networks Act (DNA). Strategic analyses, including the Letta, Draghi and Niinistö reports, and the Commission Communication ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ also make the point that a cutting edge digital network infrastructure is critical for the future competitiveness of the EU economy, security and social welfare. The availability of high-quality, reliable and secure connectivity for end users and for key economic sectors is a must. Connectivity is not just access. It is about real-time data exchange, vital for the EU to be able to achieve its broader digital goals and for supporting a truly connected, prosperous society.
In response to the successful European Citizens' Initiative, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted an own-initiative opinion calling on the European Commission to introduce a legally binding EU-wide ban on conversion practices by including such practices as 'EU crimes' and recognising them as hate crimes. The EESC strongly condemns any practices aimed at changing, suppressing or erasing a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression, considering them incompatible with human dignity and in breach of the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. The EESC calls for a comprehensive and precisely defined ban covering both children and adults, all public and private actors, and the advertisement of such practices. It recommends that the prohibition explicitly includes sex characteristics, in order to protect intersex individuals from non-consensual and non-therapeutic interventions.
