429th plenaire zitting van de EESC

on 13 and 14 September 2006

European Commission - Charlemagne Building -Room S3

170, rue de la Loi

at 2.30 p.m.

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Awarding of 2006 EESC prize for organised civil society

(for further information, see press release No 83/2006)

on 13 September 2006, during the plenary session of the Committee

European Commission - Charlemagne Building

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Reception given by the President

for presentation of the EESC book

"Living Europe - Dialogue with civil society"

attended by Ján Figel, member of the European Commission

on 13 September 2006 at 8 p.m.

EESC ATRIUM - 99 rue Belliard

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Main opinions to be adopted:

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  The energy supply of the EU - a strategy for an optimal energy mix (exploratory opinion)
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  Climate Change - The role of civil society (own-initiative opinion)
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  A sectoral survey of relocation (information report)
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  Establishing a European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
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  Immigration in the EU and integration policies (own-initiative opinion)
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  Civil society participation in the fight against organised crime and terrorism
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  Quality of working life, productivity and employment in the context of globalisation and demographic challenges (exploratory opinion)
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  European citizenship: enhancing visibility and effectiveness (own-initiative opinion)
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  Civil society in Belarus (own-initiative opinion)

The energy supply of the EU - a strategy for an optimal energy mix (exploratory opinion)

Rapporteur: Ms Sirkeinen (Group I, Employers, Finland)

The EESC believes that the strategic goal should be a diversified energy mix. This should include all potential sources and uses of energy. Energy efficiency is the first key answer to the challenges of energy policy since better efficiency supports all energy policy targets: competitiveness, security of supply, climate change. Renewable energy sources have considerable potential in the EU and need specifically adapted support. In transport, a variety of measures (alternative fuels, intelligent traffic planning and management, hybrid vehicles, etc.) could help energy policy targets to be better implemented. Nuclear energy is still an option for the future and as long as demand cannot be met using other technology and resources (fusion, renewable energies, etc.), better support is needed for nuclear safety and the problem of spent fuel. New technologies will take into account the clean and environmentally friendly use of traditional energy sources such as coal and gas in the future (clean coal and liquefied natural gas technologies, etc.). In conclusion, better coordination of energy policy within the EU and improved R&D efforts are both essential to an optimal energy strategy for the EU.

Climate Change - The role of civil society (own-initiative opinion)

Rapporteur: Mr Ehnmark (Group II, Employees, Sweden)

(for further information, see press release No 84/2006)

A sectoral survey of relocation (information report)

Rapporteur: Mr van Iersel (Member, Group I, Employers, Netherlands)

Co-Rapporteur: Mr Calvet Chambon (Delegate, Category 1, Employers, Spain)

The report analyses existing statistical data across 19 sectors and attempts to draw a synoptic picture of the importance of the phenomenon of company relocations. The document concludes that at present there is no firm statistical basis for a similar public survey. A study carried out by an external consultant operating under the guidance of a CCMI study group and a hearing organised with socio-economic players have served as a foundation for this work. The report complements the opinion on The scope and effects of company relocations, adopted by the EESC in July 2005.

This is available, together with the study, on the CCMI website: http://eesc.europa.eu/sections/ccmi/index_en.asp. These two texts are soon to be published in the form of a brochure, along with other recent work on relocation by the CCMI.

Establishing a European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (own-initiative opinion)

Rapporteur: Mr van Iersel (Group I, Employers, Netherlands)

The EESC welcomes the proposal from the European Commission concerning the setting-up of a European Globalisation Fund (hereafter EGF). The EESC agrees with the objective of intervening via the EGF in cases where immediate and extensive social problems for workers arise as a consequence of serious and unforeseeable economic disruptions. The EESC agrees that the Member States themselves have primary responsibility and that the EGF should intervene only at the request of a Member State and after a corresponding decision of the budgetary authority. However, strict coordination between the various existing instruments, particularly between the EGF and the Structural Funds, should be guaranteed in order to increase effectiveness and coherence.

Immigration in the EU and integration policies (own-initiative opinion)

Rapporteur: Mr Pariza Castaños (Group II, Employees, Spain)

In its draft opinion, the EESC emphasises that challenges can most effectively be met and policies can achieve the best results in the field of employment at a local and regional level. In keeping with the powers which they have in the various Member States, local and regional authorities possess political, legislative and budgetary instruments which they must put to good use in integration policies. In the field of employment, legislation and public policies must complement one another through cooperation with the social partners, because integration into the labour market is also an issue of society's attitudes and of commitment on the part of trade unions and employers.

Civil society participation in the fight against organised crime and terrorism

Rapporteurs: Mr Rodríguez García-Caro (Group I, Employers, Spain), Mr Pariza Castaños (Group II, Employees, Spain), Mr Cabra de Luna (Group III, Various Activities, Spain)

Civil society plays a fundamental role in promoting the values of the rule of law and making an active contribution to democracy. Civil society organisations in Europe are carrying out very positive work in society, promoting active European citizenship and a participatory democracy. However, these organisations cannot and must not replace the national and European authorities in operational policies.

The EESC cannot accept that terrorists and criminals should be able to escape justice due to the EU's internal borders hindering police or judicial action. The EESC urges the EU institutions and Member States to draw up and implement a common strategy against terrorism and to abandon the current situation of decision-making "on the fly".

The EESC believes that the current situation of mere intergovernmental cooperation is inadequate and often inefficient The EESC proposes that Europol become a European agency with a remit that extends beyond its current coordinating role. The EESC proposes that the EU institutions draw up a legislative framework of minimum standards that guarantee the protection and recognition of terrorism victims. The EESC supports the Commission's proposal to set up a European platform for public-private partnership.

Quality of working life, productivity and employment in the context of globalisation and demographic challenges

Rapporteur: Ms Engelen-Kefer (Group II, Employees, Germany)

One of the aims of the Lisbon Agenda is to create not only more but better jobs. In this opinion, requested by the Finnish presidency, we address for the first time the relationship between quality of work and productivity. Quality of working life includes a number of aspects: safe working conditions, good organisation of work, social benefits, including a fair income, opportunities to develop extra skills and the ability to reconcile work and family life. The opinion shows that good working conditions are a key prerequisite for improving labour productivity and strengthening businesses' innovativeness. In addition, the EESC suggests that a European index for quality of work be developed in cooperation with the social partners. This would be made up of various criteria for "good work" on the basis of relevant studies.

European citizenship: enhancing visibility and effectiveness

Rapporteur : Mr Vever (Group I, Employers, France)

The formal inclusion of European citizenship rights in the recent treaties has not been enough to stop the rise of euro-scepticism in public opinion. It is urgent to enable European citizenship to be used fully. The EESC proposes various concrete actions as regards the European statute for associations, the European statute for mutual societies or the simplified European statute open to SMEs, for example. Secondly, the EESC proposes to develop a more citizen-oriented governance of the Union, upgrading the consultation phase in preparing projects by ensuring they have more added value for citizens, for example. Finally, the EESC proposes to promote joint initiatives with a strong identity content, such as particularly significant major European projects (trans-European networks, research, advanced technology, European education and training programmes) and to adopt decisions of major political significance, such as electing the European Parliament on the same day, making 9 May a European public holiday and bringing forward a European right of popular initiative.

Belarus civil society (own-initiative opinion)

Rapporteur: Mr Stulik (Group III, Various Activities, Czech Republic)

With this own-initiative opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) wishes to express its support, solidarity and empathy to all civil society organisations in Belarus working to promote democracy, human rights, the rule of law and freedom of association and speech. EU financial support to civil society in Belarus must be delivered in appropriate and flexible forms so that it really does reach those for whom it is intended. The EU and its Member States must introduce an amenable visa policy for Belarus citizens. The European Economic and Social Committee recommends that EU institutions make use of the experience of transformation and the know-how of civil society organisations in the new Member States when drawing up a strategy for supporting civil society organisations in Belarus.

For more information on the agenda for the plenary session and access to documents in all EU languages: http://www.toad.esc.eu.int