Comité Económico e Social Europeu
This opinion aims at promoting the value of strong civil society organisations as automatic stabilisers in our democratic systems, which are facing challenges from the rise of populist and extremist movements, distrust of the free press, authoritarian tendencies, and xenophobia. Democratic civil society organisations therefore need to be supported at all levels - local, regional, national and European.
On the 29th October, the Group on the Inclusion of the Roma will be looking at the Roma's current health situation and their access to healthcare. Issues such as discrimination in access to health care, differences in life expectancy between Roma and non-Roma, as well as poverty and its effects on the Roma's health situation will be discussed. The hearing will also look into the situation in women's and children's health, with a particular emphasis on forced sterilizations, pregnancy and infant mortality, as well as vaccination amongst children. It will also feature a discussion on the solutions offered by the state in the light of health issues brought about by poverty, as well as recommendations on the way forward.
A Europe that protects should guarantee the protection and participation of all European citizens.
Following the new European Commission proposal of September 2017, the European citizens' initiative has new wind in its sails. It now faces a lot of changes, many of which may greatly simplify administrative and organizational burdens. These changes will soon be discussed in the three-way consultations between the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council.
The ECI DAY 2018 will seize the moment and offer a first-hand insight into the positions of the three legislators, represented respectively by the First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, the European Parliament general rapporteur György Schöpflin and the 2018 Council Presidency ministers / state secretaries from Bulgaria and Austria.
Roma still remain the most underrepresented group on the labour market, with high numbers of unemployment. Due to the combination of various factors, such as poverty and deprivation, low levels of education and skills and discrimination in both education and employment, there are still serious structural barriers for Roma. Therefore they do not benefit from mainstream or targeted measures/initiatives. The Roma Platform is a high-level event that will provide an opportunity to discuss education and employment for Roma.
The PSG on the inclusion of the Roma will in its hearing on 15 November deal with segregation in education of Roma. Roma are often placed in special schools for children with learning disabilities. The Commission has launched infringement procedures against the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary for school segregation As segregation has negative consequences on school attainment it severely affects the Roma though their entire life and maintain them in a situation of deprivation and poverty.
The President referred to the shortcomings of the ECI legislation and the problems encountered by organisers in the first years. He announced that the EESC was offering organisers of registered ECIs the opportunity to have the text presenting their ECI translated, thus addressing one of the most pressing problems for new ECIs and presented the European Passport to Active Citizenship.
An active civil society was a means of ensuring active participation. The objective would be to make the ECI efficient and practical, eliminate the technical obstacles and improve communication.The ECI should remain in the mainstream of EU policies to unblock the process of European integration...
