22-23 January 2025
European Parliament – József Antall building (JAN4Q2 Anna Lindh room)
Web stream click here
AGENDA
Debates
Thursday 23 January 2025 at 9:00
- Artificial intelligence at the workplace, with Sebastian Gajewski, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy of Poland, Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President, Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness and Janine Berg, senior economist, International Labour Office, Switzerland, linked to the adoption of the opinion SOC/803 – Pro-worker AI: levers for harnessing the potential and mitigating the risks of AI in connection with employment and labour market policies
Thursday 23 January 2025 at 10:15
- The EU’s Southern Neighbourhood, with Princess Rym Ali, President of the Anna Lindh Foundation, Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean and Eliane El Haber, youth representative for the opinion REX/583, advisor at the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4 Youth & Student Network and project officer at the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, linked to the adoption of the opinion REX/583 – Youth involvement in social and civil dialogue in the Mediterranean region
Thursday 23 January 2025 at 11:45
- Ensuring a sustainable and just transition through people-centred climate and biodiversity action, with Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General, European Commission Directorate-General for Climate Action, Hans Bruynickx, Professor of Environmental Governance, University of Antwerp and former Executive Director of the European Environment Agency (EEA), Friedrich Wulf, international biodiversity policy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, Anabella Rosemberg, senior advisor on just transition in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC) processes, Climate Action Network (CAN) International, Pegah Moulana, Secretary-General of the Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) and Dirk Bergrath, rapporteur of the opinion NAT/933 – Towards a just transition legislative proposal and EU policy tools that enable a more social European Green Deal, adopted in December 2024
Opinions in the spotlight
ENERGY
The future of the supply and pricing of electricity in the EU (TEN/837, rapporteur: Jan Dirx (NL-III); co-rapporteur: Thomas Kattnig (AT-II))
The EESC is convinced that the electricity market should be reformed in such a way that it meets the objective of climate neutrality by 2050, combined with the objectives of security of supply and stable and affordable prices, as well as ensuring the right to energy for the protection of vulnerable groups. More specifically, the Committee advocates a model of government regulation where necessary and private entrepreneurship where possible, as an E-facility that could take the form of a company set up by the government that will play the role of market maker. More
SINGLE MARKET
How to support social economy entities in line with State aid rules: thoughts following the suggestions in Enrico Letta’s report (INT/1071, rapporteur: Giuseppe Guerini (IT-III))
The EESC stresses the importance of reconciling the need for strong public support for social economy entities with the EU rules on State aid. It welcomes the proposal made in the Letta report on the single market regarding the need to adapt the current legal framework on State aid to enable social economy enterprises to get loans and funding more easily. More
A competition policy at the heart of EU’s competitiveness (INT/1063, rapporteur: Isabel Yglesias (ES-I))
A lack of coordination of subsidies within the EU reduces their potential positive impact, while coordinated subsidies would increase productivity by more than 30%. The EESC stresses that importance of ensuring that public support is used as efficiently as possible, promoting cross-border projects and reinforcing European value chains. The European Competitiveness Fund must be designed and deployed with a European perspective. More
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Pro-worker AI: levers for harnessing the potential and mitigating the risks of AI in connection with employment and labour market policies (SOC/803, rapporteur: Franca Salis-Madinier (FR-II))
The EESC points out that legislative initiatives, or any other initiatives adapting existing law, should address the gaps in the protection of workers’ rights at work and ensure that humans remain in control in all human-machine interactions, while highlighting that social dialogue and worker involvement play a crucial role in preserving workers’ fundamental rights and promoting «trustworthy» AI in the world of work. More
RULE OF LAW
Evaluation of the European Commission’s annual reports on the rule of law in the European Union (SOC/797, rapporteur: Ozlem YILDIRIM (FR-II), co-rapporteur: Christian MOOS (DE-III))
The EESC urges the European Commission to strengthen its Annual Rule of Law Reports by providing clearer, measurable recommendations and ensuring meaningful engagement with civil society. The opinion highlights the need for deeper analysis of systemic breaches and a more transparent follow-up process. It also calls for improved public communication and supports the creation of a Civil Society Platform to protect democracy and fundamental rights. More
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Developing Europe’s strategy for the Arctic in dialogue with civil society (REX/592, rapporteur: Anders Ladefoged (DK-I); co-rapporteur: Christian Moos (DE-III))
The EESC suggests that the EU with an updated, coherent and ambitious policy, can play an even more important role in developing a resilient and prosperous Arctic. At the same time, stepping up cooperation with Greenland would give the EU the scope to diversify its access to critical minerals and provide a clear opportunity for a partnership based on a shared commitment to democracy, rule of law and human rights. More
Youth involvement in social and civil dialogue in the Mediterranean region (REX/583, rapporteur: Thomas Wagnsonner (AT-II); co-rapporteur: Lidija Pavić-Rogošić (HR-III))
The EESC in this opinion recommends involving the young people of the region in all stages of the policy-making process, as they are often excluded from participatory processes. In line with the appointment of the new commissioner for the Mediterranean, the opinion provides a set of recommendations to improve the quality of life of young people by engaging them actively in social, financial and political aspects. More
ECONOMY
Euro area economic policy 2025 (ECO/656, rapporteur: Juraj Sipko (SK-III))
The EESC stresses the need for structural reforms to boost resilience and sustainable growth in the euro area amid ongoing external shocks and uncertainties. Key recommendations include deepening the internal market, advancing industrial policy, and reducing regulatory burdens. To ensure fiscal sustainability, the EESC calls for mobilising untapped revenues, tackling tax evasion, and aligning spending with public interest priorities. It highlights competitiveness as a priority, urging investment to close gaps with global peers and fostering venture capital for start-ups and scale-ups. The EESC also underscores the need to improve labour market flexibility, enhance productivity, and adapt social security systems to AI and demographic changes. Stronger collaboration and accountability are essential to building a stable, inclusive, and resilient economy. More
For more information, please contact:
EESC Press Unit
E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu
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@EESC_PRESS