This Directive will set out a horizontal framework to foster the contribution of businesses operating in the single market to the respect of the human rights and environment in their own operations and through their value chains, by identifying, preventing, mitigating and accounting for their adverse human rights, and environmental impacts, and having adequate governance, management systems and measures in place to this end.
The Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) package aims to make every aspect of the design, production, use and sale of products placed on the EU market more environmentally-friendly and circular to deliver on the sustainability and climate objectives. The proposals of the package will introduce a new era where sustainable products become the norm as well as Europe's resource independence.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Sustainable products initiative, including Eco-design Directive
Since the deep freeze of the TTIP negotiations, the Transatlantic partners – the EU and the US – are starting new ways of co-operation under the so called Trade and Technology Council (TTC), which was launched at the EU-US summit in Brussels on 15 June 2021. ...
Download — Mnenje EESO: The new EU-US Trade and Technology Council in action: priorities for business, workers and consumers and necessary safeguards
Download — Mnenje EESO: Analysis the role of organised civil society in the new EU-Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific (OEACP) agreement, including the situation of the EPAs in this framework
Most consumers say they want to pay attention to the environmental impact, but complain that only partial information is available. In its opinion, the EESC stresses the need to make every effort to ensure that better information on reparability is made available to consumers and to combat unfair practices.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Empowering the consumer for the green transition
The proposed measure, funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), allows Member States to provide liquidity support to farmers and agri-food businesses affected by significant increases in input costs.
Download — Mnenje EESO: European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development / Ukraine
The Commission is proposing to the European Parliament and Council to sign up to a declaration of rights and principles that will guide the digital transformation in the EU. The declaration aims to give everyone a clear reference point about the kind of digital transformation Europe promotes and defends. It will also provide a guide for policy makers and companies when dealing with new technologies
Download — Mnenje EESO: Digital rights and principles
Semiconductors are at the heart of strong geopolitical interests, giving countries the conditions to be able to act (militarily, economically and industrially) and to foster digital and ecological transitions. They are essential for strategic and industrial autonomy.
The EESC welcomes the European Commission's objective of strengthening the semiconductor ecosystem, significantly increasing resilience and security of supply and reducing external dependencies.
The EESC welcomes the Data Act Regulation and highlights the need to implement it without any discrimination against people who have difficulty accessing the internet or data. The EESC considers it important to guarantee respect of safety and ethical standards, multiple and sufficient conditions for data functionality, cybersecurity procedures and the proper storage of data on EU territory, on the assumption that individuals should be in control of the data they generate in accordance with the objectives of strategic autonomy and technological independence.
The Commission is proposing to the European Parliament and Council to sign up to a declaration of rights and principles that will guide the digital transformation in the EU. The declaration aims to give everyone a clear reference point about the kind of digital transformation Europe promotes and defends. It will also provide a guide for policy makers and companies when dealing with new technologies.
In 2021, the Belarusian regime led by Alyaksandr Lukashenka actively attracted migrants from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries, encouraging and even forcing them to cross the UE borders. This resulted in a particular pressure on Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, and was done in retaliation against the sanctions adopted by the EU in response to the regime rigging the national elections in 2020 and violently repressing civil society in 2021.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Instrumentalisation of migrants
Download — Mnenje EESO: Management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
The ‘REFIT’ evaluation concluded that while the current Regulation was generally fit for purpose, it could be better aligned with the European Green Deal and its design could be slightly improved. In this context, the proposal aims to replace the ODS Regulation, while maintaining a strict level of control.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Revision of the ozone depleting substances regulation
The current F-gas Regulation 517/2014 intends to reduce the EU’s F-gas emissions by two-thirds by 2030 compared with 2014 levels. At EU level, F-gases currently account for 2.5 % of total greenhouse gas emissions. In line with the Climate Law, the new F-gas proposal will contribute to reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and making Europe climate-neutral by 2050.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Revision of the F-gas regulation
This initiative wants to call on the European Commission to provide more integrated strategies for specific economic sectors, coordinating the various policies fields to an ongoing transition of our European economy. To this end, we have chosen the furniture sector to exemplify challenges and opportunities regarding the sector's recovery and green transition to a sustainable and circular economy (bio-economy), its technological transformation, mainly driven by the digitalisation of industrial processes, and the sector's overall target of managing the climate change.
Download — Mnenje EESO: The European furniture industry – Its recovery towards an innovative, green and circular economy
