The EU's economic system needs structural change and must be adjusted to become more resistant to future external shocks. Main priorities: improving its resilience, efficiency and strategic autonomy.
President Röpke held today a meeting with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The Presidents held a fruitful discussion on some of the key European issues, including enlargement, youth, competitiveness as well as international relations, more generally.
The EESC provided its policy recommendations for a new generation of own resources for the EU budget. The opinion urged the Commission to first and foremost further develop the new set of rules that would govern corporate taxation in the EU (BEFIT). The EESC also suggested considering an EU-wide tax on digital transactions and an additional levy targeting companies importing products from third-country manufacturers that do not ensure proper protection of workers.
The European Commission has announced new measures to tackle human trafficking. This comes in response to a 2021 report assessing the effectiveness of the EU's 2001 Anti-Trafficking Directive, which found the response by Member States to be insufficient. The EESC opinion calls for a gender focus, greater support for victims, more accountability for companies, and improved monitoring mechanisms.
President Oliver Röpke participated in this year's Porto Social Forum, alongside Portugese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, European Parliament's Vice-President Pedro Silva Pereira and Portuguese Minister of Labour, Ana Mendes Godinho.
In an exploratory opinion on the 30th anniversary of the single market, the EESC has backed the Commission's idea of an EU fund pooling resources to invest in key green tech projects, rather than relaxing competition rules.
One of the top priorities of the disability movement, called for for many years, the European Disability Card will enable people with disabilities to exercise their fundamental right to freedom of movement in the EU on the same footing as people without disabilities.
The EESC describes the Commission's proposals for strengthening social dialogue in Member States and the EU as both timely and necessary, but calls for additional steps. Action is needed on improving national consultations with the social partners, national and European collective bargaining coverage and the implementation of social partner agreements
While the war in Ukraine is dragging on, concerns are mounting about the transboundary environmental damage it has caused. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an own-initiative opinion at its April plenary on ....
