Impact of social investment and the market-based instruments tops agenda EESC's plenary session

CES/14/24

21 March 2014

Impact of social investment and the market-based instruments is top of the agenda of the EESC's plenary session

The EESC is issuing an opinion on how social investment can help meet the demands of a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth strategy.

The EESC will explore existing financial and market-based instruments which impact the behaviour of economic players and consumers in favour of a resource-efficient economy.

497th EESC Plenary Session

25 and 26 March 2014

Charlemagne building (European Commission), De Gasperi room, Brussels

You can watch the plenary session live at: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/

The full agenda is available here .

Debates to be held at the plenary session:

In a bid to promote European Citizens' Initiatives (ECI) , the EESC is presenting and debating one initiative at each of its plenary sessions. This time it will look at the initiative "Act for growth" , which proposes four specific policy measures to increase female entrepreneurship in the European Union as a strategy for economic growth. The debate will feature Henri Malosse, president of the EESC, and Madi Sharma, EESC member, in her capacity as spokesperson for this initiative. (25 March -5 p.m.).

Key opinions to be discussed and voted on at the plenary session:

Market-based instruments for a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy in the EU

This own-initiative opinion will explore existing financial and market-based instruments which impact the behaviour of economic players and consumers, and therefore the shift towards a resource-efficient economy. Particular attention will be paid to the impacts of economic instruments on social and environmental performance, as well as on economic competitiveness.

The impact of social investment on employment and public budgets

Social investment can help meet the demands of the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth strategy. The EESC believes that a consistent and successful implementation of a broad-based social investment package goes hand-in-hand with various key requirements such as: a European investment programme; identification of new sources of revenue; including social investment in the Europe 2020 Strategy; excluding social investments from the calculation of net government deficits.

Delivering the internal electricity market and making the most of public action

Following a Commission request, the EESC adopted an opinion on this issue which is both economic and social, since electricity is an essential basic commodity and must be managed as such. The EC communication gives guidance on how best to reform existing national support schemes for renewable energy and how back-up energy can be designed in a cost-efficient way. The EESC welcomes this communication and calls for a more coordinated approach to national and local public action. Furthermore, the EESC supports the idea of "Europeanising" aid schemes for renewables and urges the Commission to do more to facilitate cooperation mechanisms between Member States to promote cross-border aid.

For more information, please contact:

EESC Press Unit

E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu

Tel.: +32 2 546 9406

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The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the EU decision-making process. The Committee has 353 members from across Europe, who are appointed by the Council of the European Union.

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