The European Semester Autumn Package marks the beginning of a new cycle of the European Semester. It includes a set of documents that outline the socio-economic landscape, highlight key priorities and risks, and provide policy guidance to support Member States in achieving these objectives. Every year, the EESC adopts an opinion linked to the European Semester Autumn Package.
The European Commission presented a new Communication on islands on 10th of June as a result of the public consultation in which the EESC has contributed with the exploratory opinion requested by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Building on the EESC’s work on critical raw materials, permanent materials and strategic technologies, this opinion examines how the forthcoming Advanced Materials Act can strengthen Europe’s capacity to develop, produce and deploy advanced materials. These materials, including nanomaterials, are essential to Europe’s well-being, high living standards and industrial base, with applications across healthcare, electronics, energy, mobility and construction, and in products ranging from batteries and packaging to smartphones and lightweight materials.
Ongoing (updated on 22/10/2026) - Bureau decision date: 20/10/2026
Reference
CCMI/272-EESC
The CCMI supplementary opinion to NAT/1002 on the Circular Economy Act will examine how the Act can strengthen Europe’s supply of raw materials, including critical raw materials, and improve the single market for waste and secondary raw materials. Building on CCMI’s previous work on the Critical Raw Materials Act, RESourceEU and permanent materials, it will complement NAT’s broader examination by focusing on industrial needs, resource recovery and high-quality recycling.
Particular attention will be given to permanent materials: glass, aluminium and steel, which can be recycled repeatedly while retaining their inherent properties. The opinion will advocate explicit recognition of their specific characteristics and appropriately differentiated treatment in the Act, ensuring that circularity strengthens Europe’s industrial capacity, resource security and competitiveness while delivering environmental benefits and quality employment.
Europe needs to develop a policy of prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery vis à vis natural disasters. In this context, the capacity of private markets is limited (insurance, reinsurance and alternative risk transfer tools). As a result, the protection gap is now growing and the provision of insurance cover is suffering from economic inefficiencies. This opinion will deliver concrete policy proposals to solve these issues.
The proposal updates EU rules to recognise hydrogen as a reference fuel for non-road mobile machinery, supporting decarbonisation and innovation while removing regulatory barriers and strengthening European competitiveness.
Ongoing (updated on 22/09/2026) - Bureau decision date: 22/09/2026
Reference
NAT/1008-EESC
Plenary session number
610
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Download format:
Download — EESC opinion: Amendment of the European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund (EMFAF) for simplification and transposition of WTO agreement
