The European Union’s ambitious climate targets have significantly impacted resource and energy-intensive industries (REIIs), which are crucial to the EU economy. These industries face rising costs due to high energy prices, carbon pricing, and regulatory changes. This opinion reflects on the optimal solutions to maintain the competitiveness of EU industry in face if the rising energy prices and the costs required to support the transition towards a low-carbon economy. The EU Youth Test at the EESC was applied to this opinion.
Ongoing (updated on 04/04/2025) - Bureau decision date: 28/04/2025
EESC opinion NAT/946 Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies while ensuring European competitiveness, mitigating the cost-of-living crisis, and promoting a just transition. Foreseen adoption at the EESC Plenary: 29-30 April 2025.
Download — EESC section opinion: Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies while ensuring European competitiveness, mitigating the cost-of-living crisis, and promoting a just transition
Konstantinos DIAMANTOUROS (Employers - GR I/Greece), Javier DOZ ORRIT (Workers - GR II/Spain), Luca JAHIER (Civil Society Organisations - GR III/Italy)
Plenary session number
596
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Information Report ECO/651 and Own-initiative opinion ECO/652 are a continuation of the European Semester Group's (ESG) work to consult annually national economic and social councils, social partners and civil society organisations from EU Member States on reform and investment proposals made in the context of the European Semester and their implementation in the Member States. The Information Report aims to collect the views of social partners and civil society organisations in the Member States on the reform and investment proposals and their implementation, in particular those indicated in the 2024 Country-Specific Recommendations. The Own-initiative opinion aims to complement the Information Report and to include the EESC's policy recommendations based on the results of the stakeholder consultation. It allows the EESC to formulate general and specific considerations, and to present the associated EESC's conclusions and policy proposals.
Ongoing (updated on 02/04/2025) - Bureau decision date: 21/01/2025
In the political guidelines of the new Commission, it was announced that the EEAS and the European Commission are working on a White Paper on the Future of European Defence, expected in the first 100 days of the mandate. The objective of the White Paper is to frame the new approach on defence and identify our investment needs.
Defence budgets are still predominantly spent on a national basis. A fraction of equipment spending in Europe is devoted to EU joint procurement. And the vast majority of defence acquisitions by Member States are still made from outside Europe.
Ongoing (updated on 01/04/2025) - Bureau decision date: 25/03/2025
Europe’s energy system is increasingly unbalanced due to intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar, often relying on fossil fuels for stability. Achieving balance is key for energy reliability, climate goals, economic growth, and technological innovation. This opinion explores how Member States can integrate renewables while ensuring system stability and advancing decarbonisation, focusing on managing intermittent energy effectively.
Ongoing (updated on 31/03/2025) - Bureau decision date: 23/01/2025
Administrator / Assistant in charge: Marco RISTORI / Elisabete DIAS
Background Information
Over the past decades, open trade policies fostered growth, reduced poverty, and helped keep prices affordable. Today, however, heightened geopolitical tensions, the drive for green and digital transitions, and the quest for economic security risk undermining these gains.
Ongoing (updated on 31/03/2025) - Bureau decision date: 21/01/2025
This opinion intends to discuss the relationship between water resilience, digitalisation and the green transition. It aims to propose recommendations to address the different challenges involving water, digitalisation and decarbonisation from an industrial perspective.
Ongoing (updated on 31/03/2025) - Bureau decision date: 25/03/2025
Elena-Alexandra CALISTRU (Civil Society Organisations - GR III/Romania), Konstantinos DIAMANTOUROS (Employers - GR I/Greece), Stefano PALMIERI (Workers - GR II/Italy)
Plenary session number
596
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Ongoing (updated on 28/03/2025) - Bureau decision date: 27/02/2025
