The EESC supports the Commission's aim of ensuring equal treatment, for VAT purposes, for armed forces of Member States working together within an EU framework and NATO armed forces employed in the EU, which already benefit from VAT exemption. The Committee suggests that different national tax authorities should have one system under which the new exemptions are implemented.
Download — Stanovisko EHSV: VAT and excise duty exemption for defence efforts
Blockchain technology contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), empowers citizens, boosts entrepreneurship and innovation, improves mobility and cross-border opportunities for businesses while enhancing transparency for consumers. However, several challenges still remain to be addressed, in particular the urgent matter of providing legal clarity and certainty and protecting privacy.
Download — Stanovisko EHSV: Blockchain and the EU Single Market: what next? (own-initiative opinion)
In this exploratory opinion, prepared at the request of the European Commission, the EESC provides its contribution to how environmental laws could be better supported at EU and national level and suggest ways to enhance the role of civil society in the framework of the EIR process.
Download — Stanovisko EHSV: A more constructive role for civil society in implementing environmental law (Exploratory opinion at the request of the European Commission)
The EESC welcomes the proposal to use the passerelle clauses to establish a qualified majority in the Council and a co-decision system with the European Parliament. In this new set-up, the EESC could play an important role in supporting the trilogue and should be involved.
Download — Stanovisko EHSV: New institutional framework for energy and climate policy by 2025
In this opinion, the EESC notes that the measures taken by the EU Member States to address the challenge of an ageing workforce remain isolated and their impact has not been gauged. Therefore, the EESC highlights the need for comprehensive strategies, to deal with the demographic and employment challenges in a holistically manner.
The Committee also issues concrete recommendations to encourage longer active working lives.
Download — Stanovisko EHSV: The changing world of work and the longevity/ageing population - The preconditions for ageing workers to stay active in the new world of work (Exploratory opinion at the request of the Finnish Presidency)
Download — Stanovisko EHSV: The European Pillar of Social Rights – evaluation of the initial implementation and recommendations for the future (own-initiative opinion)
