The report evaluates the implementation of the European Social Fund (ESF) during the 2014-2020 programming period. It focuses on the ESF's goals of enhancing employment, promoting and developing education and training, and supporting vulnerable groups with a view to fostering social inclusion and equal opportunities. The report looks at ESF implementation from the perspective of the social partners and civil society, in accordance with the European Commission’s Better Regulation guidelines. The evaluation criteria include effectiveness, relevance and the value of civil society involvement. In-depth interviews were organised with local stakeholders and an online questionnaire was sent out in five EU Member States (Czechia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain).
Download — Evaluation of European Social Fund 2014-2020
On 24 October 2023 the European Commission adopted a set of actions to better prevent and mitigate critical medicine shortages in the EU. Recent critical shortages, including of certain antibiotics last winter, show that continued coordinated action is needed to address supply challenges and to make Europe's medicine supply chains more resilient in the long run. The main objective of the Communication is to prevent and mitigate critical shortages at EU level, focusing in particular on the most critical medicines, for which security of supply in the EU must be ensured at all times.
Download — Avizul CESE: Communication on availability of medicines
In this opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) highlights the challenges hindering efficient cross-border access to social security services, including bureaucratic complexity and uneven progress in digitalisation across Member States. While supportive of the European Commission's efforts to simplify processes and enhance digitalisation, the EESC emphasises the need for accelerated progress and urges developing comprehensive action plans considering diverse stakeholder needs. Recognising the overall need for digitalisation, the EESC stresses the importance of inclusive solutions for digitally excluded individuals as well as robust IT systems to ensure data protection and cybersecurity. Additionally, the EESC calls for the finalisation of the revision of Regulation 883/2004 to address obstacles to free movement more effectively.
Download — Avizul CESE: Digitalisation in social security
Reporting requirements are key for the enforcement and monitoring of legislation, but can also lead to burdens on stakeholders. The European Commission, under the REFIT programme, is proposing to streamline reporting obligations and reducing administrative burdens with regards to financial services, the InvestEU programme and certain benchmarks, while allowing the reuse of data for innovation and research purposes.
Download — Avizul CESE: Improving benchmarks and reporting requirements in financial services and investment support
The European Union has close to 182 million hectares of forests covering 43% of its land area and these forest areas are one of Europe's most important renewable resources. EU forests are exceptionally diverse, with a large variety of forest types, characteristics and ownership structures. They provide multiple benefits for society and the economy whilst being a major source of biodiversity.
Download — Avizul CESE: Towards a comprehensive strategy for the EU wood industry
Every year in February, the EESC adopts an opinion on Annual Sustainable Growth Survey, which the Commission usually presents at the end of November in the year before. This communication outlines the economic and employment policy priorities for the EU for the following 12 months, with a view to mitigating the negative impacts of the energy shocks in the short term and to foster sustainable growth and increase the EU’s resilience in the medium term. The structured approach, like in previous years, centres around the four dimensions of competitive sustainability and in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The ASGS also continues to guide Member States in the implementation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs). The EESC's opinion on the ASGS 2024 is due to be adopted at the plenary session of 24-25 February 2024.
The EESC calls for a strategy for civil dialogue, resulting in an action plan, and potentially an interinstitutional agreement for improved civil dialogue. It advocates for making Article 11 TEU effective by strengthening actors in the different EU institutions dealing with civil dialogue and create an annual civil dialogue scoreboard tracing the EU's engagement with civil society, and an accreditation mechanism for CSOs. It reiterates that the EESC should be at the centre of civil society consultation and civil dialogue and calls for a stronger role for the Committee in participatory democracy, including being a potential hub for citizen panels.
Download — Avizul CESE: Strengthening civil dialogue and participatory democracy in the EU: a path forward
EU rules on late payments have triggered a reduction in payment delays. However, still more than 60% of businesses in the EU are not paid on time and small and medium-sized enterprises are most affected. The initiative will provide relief to SMEs by revising existing EU payment rules based on available and upcoming evidence to promote a definitive shift towards a culture of “prompt payment".
Download — Avizul CESE: Revision of the late payments Directive
