Comité Económico e Social Europeu
Trillions of euros are needed for Europe's economic recovery. EU proposals for accessible investment data and long-term funding must be more flexible and promote a transparent level playing field, to include more investors and businesses in capital markets.
In an opinion adopted during its March plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the European Commission (EC) proposal to implement the remaining elements of the Basel III international standards in the EU. The aim is to strengthen the resilience of the banking sector while ensuring that it continues to finance economic activity and growth. But the EESC also calls on the EC to find a proper balance between faithful implementation, and the need to reflect the specificities of the EU economy and banks.
Ensuring effective and fair taxation across the Single Market is crucial to stimulating a real recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. In an opinion adopted at its March plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) supported the European Commission (EC) proposal on the misuse of shell companies for tax purposes. This is purely a tax directive proposal, however, and the Commission needs to dig deeper into the topic, and address other key issues related to shell companies.
The rules of Solvency II, the 2009 EU regulatory framework for insurance firms, have proved their worth but need to be adapted to new circumstances. In an opinion adopted at its plenary session on 23 February, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the initiative of the European Commission (EC) to revamp Solvency II. The Committee stresses the considerable interest of civil society in ensuring the stability of the financial sector, and therefore calls for sound capital requirements and risk preparedness in the insurance sector.
Stakeholders stressed the importance of cohesion policy and the need for appropriate and effective funding
The condition of the European economy, completing the Single Market, trade and Brexit – these are the top issues for European employers' organisations in the forthcoming months. On 29 March 2017, the Directors-General and Secretaries-General of BusinessEurope, EuroCommerce and Copa-Cogega presented their priorities and debated with the members of the EESC Employers' Group.
Officious transposition of the EU law at the national level undermines Single Market, increases costs and hinders development. Numerous governments of Member States use transposition process as an opportunity to address domestic political issues which results with "goldplating". This unfavorable tendency has negative impact on business and should be avoided by all possible means. Good regulation, consistent and stable legal framework, both at the national and the European level is what business counts on - these are some of the conclusions of the conference "Transposition of the European law – the key challenge to business activity", that took place on 6 December 2016 in Zagreb, Croatia.
The exploratory opinion on the Regulatory Fitness and Performance Program (REFIT) (Rapporteur: Mr. Denis Meynent), was adopted by the EESC at its plenary on 26 May 2016. This opinion follows a direct request from the First Vice President of the European Commission, Mr Timmermans, as the EESC is considered to be well-placed to assess the costs and benefits of the current rules for stakeholders and to suggest REFIT priorities - in particular in the ...
The European Economic and Social Committee held a plenary debate on the role of finance and public recovery policies in promoting gender equality and the economic empowerment of women in the EU. The discussion was linked to the adoption of two opinions: one on a gender-based approach to budgeting and investing and the other on how Member States can improve the way in which the direct and indirect measures proposed in their Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs) affect gender equality.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission unveiled an updated Protocol on Cooperation. The document further consolidates and intensifies the political and legislative cooperation between the two organisations, as well as their joint efforts to communicate about Europe.
