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Industrial transition towards a green and digital European economy: regulatory requirements and the role of social partners and civil society (exploratory opinion requested by the Parliament)

Ongoing (updated on 25/08/2020)
Reference: 
INT/913-EESC
Rapporteur: 
Lucie STUDNIČNÁ (Workers - GR II / Czech Republic)
Plenary session: 
556 -
Dec 02, 2020 Dec 03, 2020

Europe is going through a green and digital transformation and the European institutions are committed to ensuring that people remain centre-stage and that the economy works for them. The social partners' contribution is necessary to render our society resilient and ready for future challenges in the economy, industry, social protection, in the way we work, shop and travel.

No green deal without a social deal

Ongoing (updated on 25/08/2020)
Reference: 
INT/903-EESC
Rapporteur: 
Norbert KLUGE (Workers - GR II / Germany)
Plenary session: 
553 - Jul 16, 2020
Own-initiative opinion postponed to the autumn

The purpose of the opinion is to examine the extent to which existing EU company law currently serves as an "expedient" for the politically-desirable Green Deal and which gaps still need to be closed, in particular regarding corporate social responsibility obligations. The opinion will aim at following-up on the European Commission's initiative on due diligence and broadening the debate on sustainable corporate governance interlinking the social, environmental and economic dimensions.

Digitalisation and Sustainability – status quo and need for action in civil society perspective (Exploratory opinion at the request of the German presidency)

Ongoing (updated on 25/08/2020)
Reference: 
NAT/794-EESC-2020
Rapporteur: 
Peter SCHMIDT (Workers - GR II / Germany)
Co-rapporteur: 
István KOMORÓCZKI (Employers - GR I/Hungary)
Plenary session: 
554 -
Sep 16, 2020 Sep 17, 2020

The upcoming German EU Council Presidency has requested an EESC opinion on "Digitalisation and Sustainability – status quo and need for action in civil society perspective".

The Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) has decided to place special emphasis on the topic of digitalisation and sustainability during Germany’s upcoming European Council Presidency in the second half of 2020. The current crisis with increasing demand for teleworking, virtual conferences and digital services highlights the need for sustainable digitalisation even more.

The EESC opinion will establish the status quo and explore the need for action from a civil society perspective to help identify options for action at European level.

Information memo: Digitalisation and Sustainability – status quo and need for action in civil society perspective (Exploratory opinion at the request of the German presidency)

The digital single market - trends and opportunities for SMEs (own-initiative opinion)

Ongoing (updated on 25/08/2020)
Reference: 
INT/823-EESC-2017
Rapporteur: 
Pedro ALMEIDA FREIRE (Employers - GR I / Portugal)
Plenary session: 
554 -
Sep 16, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

The Commission's decision to create a Digital Single Market (to remove virtual borders, boost digital connectivity, and make it easier for consumers to access cross-border online content) is therefore a welcome move. But what does it mean for SMEs in practice? How will this affect their day-to-day running? And, given the lessons learnt from previous rapid changes, how do we make an "inclusive" success of the Digital Single Market?

Information memo: The digital single market - trends and opportunities for SMEs (own-initiative opinion)

SME strategy

Ongoing (updated on 25/08/2020)
Reference: 
INT/898-EESC-2020
Referral: 
COM(2020) 103 final
Rapporteur: 
Milena ANGELOVA (Employers - GR I / Bulgaria)
Co-rapporteur: 
Panagiotis GKOFAS (Diversity Europe - GR III/Greece)
Plenary session: 
554 -
Sep 16, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

Europe is embarking on a transition towards climate neutrality and digital leadership. European businesses can lead the way as we enter this new age, as they has done in the past.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are essential to Europe’s competitiveness and prosperity. Based on the new SME Strategy, the EU will support SMEs by:

  • encouraging innovation through new funding and digital innovation hubs as part of the sustainable and digital transitions;
  • cutting red tape by reducing barriers within the Single Market and opening up access to finance;
  • allowing better access to finance by setting up an SME Initial Public Offering Fund (with investments channelled through a new private-public fund) and the ESCALAR initiative (a mechanism to boost the size of venture capital funds and attract more private investment).

EESC section opinion: SME strategy

Downloads: 

• Position paper "Strengthening SMEs: Way Forward to a Dedicated SME Strategy"

Annual competition policy report 2019

Ongoing (updated on 20/08/2020)
Reference: 
INT/912-EESC-2020
Referral: 
COM(2020) 302 final
Rapporteur: 
Gonçalo LOBO XAVIER (Employers - GR I / Portugal)
Plenary session: 
556 -
Dec 02, 2020 Dec 03, 2020

The report provides a general outline of the measures adopted by the European Commission in the field of competition policy in 2019.

Information memo: Annual competition policy report 2019

Sustainable supply chains and decent work in international trade (Exploratory opinion at the request of the German presidency)

Ongoing (updated on 19/08/2020)
Reference: 
REX/532-EESC-2020
Rapporteur: 
Tanja BUZEK (Workers - GR II / Germany)
Plenary session: 
554 -
Sep 16, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

The incoming German EU Presidency has listed this file as one of their top priorities in the field. This is in line with their long-standing interest to the issue of due diligence and corporate social responsibility, which they had tabled during their Presidency of the G7 in 2015 and G20 in 2017. The German government wants an EU legislation on the issue and they would welcome the EESC opinion. They are encouraged by the launch of a Commission study on Sustainable supply chains back in January 2020. They would ideally like to present the EESC opinion during their high-level conference scheduled on 6-7 October 2020.

EESC section opinion: Sustainable supply chains and decent work in international trade (Exploratory opinion at the request of the German presidency)

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