This study looks at the state of gender balance in the European Economic and Social Committee, both at the political (members) and administrative (staff) level, and considers the main factors influencing the gender composition of the Committee.
This report provides a study of the retail sector, which is one of the biggest in Europe in terms of the number of enterprises active and individuals employed. The study aims to provide practical insights on revitalising small retailers in urban and rural areas. The underlying objective is achieved through identifying the main trends, challenges and opportunities faced by small retailers, and outlining what types of good practices have been put into place to support these enterprises in city-centres, including highlights on the situation of small retailers located in rural areas.
This Study aims at making a comprehensive overview of the EU State aid rules and their impact on SMEs in the period 2014-2018 with the goal to identify which policy issues create the greatest challenges for SMEs (incl. social partners and NGOs), and what are the best practices available to tackle the issues.
This publication is a compendium of studies carried out in 2016 at the EESC.
This publication is a compendium of studies carried out in 2017 at the EESC.
The transition to the Circular Economy will impact businesses, workers and consumers in different ways/varying degrees across the economy. The Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector is crucial for this transition. In 2016, the consumer electronics sector alone produced 44.7 million tonnes of e-waste, with mobile phones accounting for 435 thousand tonnes, and a mere 20% being recycled. This study presents the opportunities and challenges arising from implementing a circular approach, using the mobile phone sector as an example.
Right wing populism and nationalism, while not a new phenomenon, has in the recent years taken hold in many countries, including several within the European Union; sometimes as opposition, sometimes as government. Often, the ideological mixture of welfare chauvinism and nationalism is intended to appeal to the working class, with different degrees of success.
This study analyses the impact of changes in corporate tax on investment, growth, employment and public finance. It is based on both a review of existing theoretical and empirical literature and a new event study considering the economic impact of significant changes in corporate tax rates in developed economies between 1981 and 2014.
Over the years, European value chains have become increasingly relevant to employment in the EU. While research on industrial value chains is broadly covered in recent years, the effects of value-chains in European service sectors still needs to be quantified. Especially the impact of cross border services in the EU need further coverage. This study tries to fill this gap by quantifying the number of employees dependent on the exports of services to other member states.
Circular economy strategies have been under development in European cities, regions, and countries in the last few years. In the evolving context of the transition to a circular economy, strategies are valuable endeavours which draw attention to the topic, kickstart initiatives and bring stakeholders together. This publication is the executive summary of the study reviewing existing circular economy strategies across Europe, highlighting the different degrees of inclusiveness in terms of consultation.