Category Archives: EU Institutions News

EESC | TTIP – what’s in it for the social partners? EESC heralded constructive dialogue with social partners

18/11/2015 – The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), together with the Luxembourg Presidency, the European Parliament and the Commission, organised a high-level conference on the Transatlantic Trade, Investment and Partnership Agreement (TTIP) that the United States and Europe have been negotiating for nearly two and half years. Participants called for more transparency, better involvement of social partners and in particular for comprehensive information and communication on all impacts of TTIP – both positive and negative – as discussions showed that many questions remain open, which Commissioner Malmström strove to answer as clearly as possible. “Only an agreement which has the broad support of the social partners and civil society will be a good and sustainable agreement”, was the bottom line. 

EESC | Grassroots organisations from Germany and Finland win first prize in the EESC 2015 Civil Society Prize for combating poverty

10/12/2015 – The five winning initiatives present snap-shots of what is being done by thousands of voluntary groups and NGOs across Europe. Each of the projects tackles the 2015 theme “Combating poverty” in its own way and demonstrates that poverty undermines all aspects of well-being in society, including education, long-term health, housing, access to employment and family relationships.

EESC | “Migration needs both – humanity and clear rules”. EESC calls for a common European asylum and migration policy

10/12/2015 – Europe needs a truly common European asylum system with harmonised procedures throughout Europe. In the current complex situation, Europe needs to secure its borders in a European rather than a national effort while at the same time assisting asylum seekers outside the EU. Moreover, it has to put in place an effective immigration policy which is transparent, clearly outlining who will have a chance to immigrate and welcoming those newcomers by supporting their start in the respective EU Member State.

EP | Julie Ward: Terrorist attacks were the result of exclusion, not multiculturalism

08/12/2015 – Recent events in Europe have brought the issues of marginalisation and extremism to the forefront of public debate. On 7 December Parliament’s culture committee adopted a report on the role of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and education in promoting EU fundamental values. Ahead of the vote, we spoke to report author Julie Ward, a UK member of the S&D: “We have one world and we have to find some way of being mutually respectful and tolerant of each other.”

EC | Public consultation on work-life balance

18/11/2015 – Today the Commission has launched a public consultation on how to improve work-life balance and reduce obstacles to women’s participation in the labour market. This consultation follows the recent withdrawal of the Commission’s 2008 proposal to amend the Maternity Leave Directive. The Commission has committed to replacing the withdrawn proposal with a ‘new start’ initiative in its Work Programme for 2016.

Britain’s EU reform talks stumble on social benefits

23/11/2015, Euractiv – Member states have firmly rejected British demands to limit EU citizens’ rights to social benefits when working in the UK, saying this would be discriminatory.

EU 2016 budget approved by the Council

24/11/2015 – the Council by unanimity approved the 2016 EU budget deal agreed by the Conciliation Committee on 14 November. If the agreement is also confirmed by the European Parliament on 25 November the EU budget for 2016 is adopted. 

EESC should go back to basics and promote European integration, says its President Georges Dassis

13/11/2015 (Agence Europe) – The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) should go back to its primary role, namely expressing the views of civil society and advising the other European institutions on the best ways of encouraging European integration, which could include drawing up a plinth of European social rights, as desired by the European Commission.

Thyssen: New business-led initiative will help young people into jobs

Euractiv, 16/11/2015 – Though the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in member states is on track, the Commission is launching a new initiative with businesses to help more young people into jobs, says Marianne Thyssen in an interview.

Joint statement of the EU Heads of State or Government and the leaders of the EU institutions on the terrorist attacks in Paris

14/11/2015 – The European Union is deeply shocked and in mourning after the terrorist attacks in Paris. It is an attack against us all. We will face this threat together with all necessary means and ruthless determination.