Volgende EESC meeting: Kosten van niet-Europa en bescherming van kinderen tegen reclame (en)

On 18 and 19 September, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC i) will hold its next plenary session. Opinions to be adopted include the cost of non-Europe, the protection of children from harmful advertising, and the future statute for a European foundation. The plenary session will also include a debate on trade, growth and development, with the participation of Karel de Gucht i, and will be attended for the first time by eight Croatian observers representing business associations, trade unions and other stakeholders.

Venue: Charlemagne building, second floor, De Gasperi room - Brussels

Start: Tuesday, 18 September

3.00 p.m. Debate with Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade i

4.00 p.m. Statements by Laurence Parisot, President of MEDEF (French Confederation of Business Enterprises) and John Evans, General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), as part of a discussion on "Organised civil society in global governance".

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Opinions in the spotlight:

Cost of non-Europe

Taking the example of the 1988 Cecchini Report, which worked as a catalyst for the Maastricht Treaty, the EESC believes that it is essential to revive the issue of the cost of non-Europe, in order to move forward in the right direction. This opinion seeks an integrated approach to the key issue of further integration, focused on governance, efficiency and civil society, and highlights the need to establish a strong economic, industrial and technological identity in the context of globalisation.

Advertising for children, internet and social media

The Committee will spell out its views on the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children. It is expected to criticise it for giving more weight to online business growth than the highest level of child protection. It is also likely to suggest more stringent rules for online advertising with a special emphasis on food advertisements. In a related opinion on the responsible use of social networks, the EESC will call for a boost to data protection rules, including the application of privacy standards in internet search engines. Recent studies show that 38% of children between the ages of 9 and 12 already have an online profile, and this figure rises to 78 % for 13-16 year-olds.

Statute for a European foundation

Following insistent demands from the EESC, a statute for European foundations will soon become a reality. This innovative statute will facilitate cross-border activities and cooperation among public-benefit foundations in the European Union.

Posting of workers

The EESC welcomes the Commission's proposal for an enforcement directive on the posting of workers, stressing the importance of guaranteeing the protection of posted workers and discouraging social dumping and unfair competition. The Committee points out that Member States' different labour market models must be respected and encourages the Commission, together with the social partners, to provide a more precise definition of joint and several liability in subcontracting situations.

Smart and inclusive growth

The EESC agrees with the threefold objective of the Europe 2020 strategy, i.e. smart, sustainable and inclusive/cohesive growth. However, a well-balanced macroeconomic policy mix and structural reforms are also needed, together with more and better tools for implementation. The political will to secure deeper integration is thus essential, as is the broader involvement of experts and the public. These goals could be achieved through the introduction of a 12th thematic objective in the Common Strategic Framework: strengthening communication and social dialogue.

Trade, growth and development

In a changing world, with unprecedented environmental pressure and growing inequalities, the challenge today is to make trade policy part of a new, more inclusive and more sustainable form of development. The EESC recalls the importance of producing alternative development strategies that combine domestic and trade policies, in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth. The Committee also encourages the EU to promote effective duty- and quota-free access for products from the least developed countries, not only in multilateral forums but also in its bilateral relations with emerging countries.

For more information please contact:

Karin Füssl, Head of the Press Unit

Tel.: +32 2 546 87 22

E-mail: Karin.Fussl@eesc.europa.eu