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 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 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.
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.
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Microplastics are persistent, very mobile, and hard to remove from nature. Microplastics are widespread in the world and in the human body, and a cause of growing concerns. Plastic pellets are found in water and soil, including agricultural lands, and harm ecosystems and biodiversity. Plastic pellets are the one of the largest sources of unintentional microplastic pollution.
For the first time, the European Commission proposes measures to prevent microplastic pollution from the unintentional release of plastic pellets.
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