Miscellaneous Consultative Docs. GRF CES58-2009 TCD EN

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European Economic and Social Committee

Brussels, 19 May 2009

Registry CESE 58/2009 EN-FR/CD/ym

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Summary:

1.RESPONDING TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

2.COMPETITIVENESS

3.TRANSPORT AND INNOVATION

4.TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

5.SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

6.PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION OF SPECIES

7.EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY AND REGIONAL COOPERATION

8.COMMON FISHERIES POLICY

9.EMPLOYMENT POLICY

10.TAXATION......

11.SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

Registry CESE 58/2009 EN-FR/CD/ym

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The plenary assembly held on 13 and 14 May 2009 was attended by Mr Nikiforos Diamandouros, the European Ombudsman, who spoke about European citizens' expectations regarding the functioning and transparency of European institutions.

The following opinions were adopted during the session:

1.RESPONDING TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

• Programme to aid economic recovery by granting Community financial assistance to projects in the field of energy

Rapporteur-general: MrRetureau (Employees – FR)

References: COM(2009) 35 final – 2009/0010 COD – CESE 873/2009

Key points:

The Committee welcomes the idea of allocating unused budgetary resources from 2008 to projects aimed at kick-starting the European economy, which has been plunged into stagnation by the systemic crisis that is affecting the world economy.In the current circumstances, it is essential to act as quickly as possible, whilst prioritising specific projects that fit in with the medium to long-term aims of sustainable development. The Committee therefore supports the general approach of the Regulation.

However, the Committee regrets that the measures proposed by the Commission to combat the crisis are generally too modest given its rapid and widespread impact on jobs and businesses. It further regrets that stronger proposals and clearer signals were not produced in the months that have already passed.

The Committee will doubtless be issuing an opinion on other proposals, such as those on regulating cross-border movements of capital or combating tax havens; it will do so at the appropriate time, but it is awaiting strong, effective proposals that are proportionate to a crisis that is already proving to have more serious consequences than any of the others that have gone before.

Contact:Ms Aleksandra Klenke

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 98 99 – e-mail: )

• Responding to the crisis in the European automotive industry

Rapporteur-general: Mr Zöhrer (Employees– AT)

References: COM(2009) 104 final – CESE 881/2009

Key points:

The Committee welcomes the Commission's Communication. It underscores the need for a coherent and coordinated framework to ward off any drift towards protectionism and to set common goals.

The first thing to do is ensure rapid access to sufficient, targeted funding through banks and the European Investment Bank or through state aid and guarantees from the Member States.

The biggest challenge the crisis poses, is safeguarding jobs. The important thing is to stave off unemployment and retain know-how in the industry.

Incentives to boost demand are also needed. In addition, the Committee calls on the Member States, the Commission, the ECB and the social partners to provide the overall macroeconomic environment to safeguard incomes and so fuel domestic demand.

If the sector is to emerge from the crisis stronger than before, now is the time to put greater effort into research and development, innovation and skilling of the workforce.

There is a danger that the crisis might cause a massive reduction in capacity, resulting in undercapacity and hence increased imports when demand increases once again. For this reason, the Committee calls for this issue to be examined by the CARS 21 high-level group.

The Committee calls for a high-level group to be set up that capitalises on CARS 21 experience and gets to grips with the specific challenges facing players in the downstream sector.

The cornerstone of the continued success of the European automotive industry is open access to world markets and fair competition.

Contact:Ms Amelia Muñoz Cabezon

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 83 73 – e-mail: )

• Credit Rating Agencies

Rapporteur: Mr Morgan (Employers –UK)

References:COM(2008) 704 final – 2008/0217 (COD) – CESE 885/2009

Key points:

The current crisis has revealed weaknesses in the methods and models used by credit rating agencies. In October 2007 EU Finance Ministers agreed to a set of conclusions on the crisis (the "Ecofin Roadmap")[1] which included a proposal to assess the role played by credit rating agencies and to address any relevant deficiencies.

The EESC fully supports the plan to regulate and register the CRAs. The Committee encourages the Commission to use the new registration process to open up the ratings business to new CRAs, notably by supporting any initiatives to create an independent European agency, and rewrite financial regulation to recognise for regulatory purposes ratings from any EU registered CRA. The EESC supports the proposal that CRAs must be a legal person established in the Community and that the home MemberState should be the regulator.

Contact: MrJüri Soosaar

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 96 28 – e-mail:)

2.COMPETITIVENESS

• Research and development: in support of competitiveness

Rapporteur:MsDarmanin (Employees– MT)

Reference: Exploratory opinion–CESE 864/2009

Key points:

The EESC calls for a redefinition of competitiveness and argues that long term competitiveness can no longer be calculated using GDP alone; a broader approach must be adopted including sustainability factors.

The EESC identifies innovation as a critical component of sustainable competitiveness.

In its opinion, the EESC identifies a number of inhibitors to the approach based on innovation and research and acknowledges that there are enormous resources in all employees, and this must be developed further. It also recommends that the EU take eco-efficiency into consideration as a mainstreaming factor in many policies and strengthen cooperation between them.

Contact:Ms Magdalena Belarova-Carabin

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 83 03 – e-mail: magdalena.belarova-carabin@eesc.europa.eu )

• Legislative barriers

Rapporteur:Mr vanIersel (Employers– NL)

Reference: Exploratory opinion – CESE 865/2009

Key points:

The present exploratory opinion, which the EESC has drafted at the request of the Czech Presidency on "Legislative Barriers to Competitiveness" focuses among others on achieving an Internal Market free of administrative obstacles and overregulation.

As the question of competitiveness is extremely broad, this opinion focuses on a selection of topics that are particularly pressing in the current situation.

Lack of desirable harmonisation or governments’ actions often affect European business environment negatively. It creates obstacles to Europe-wide investments of small and medium-sized companies that accordingly are hampered in their expansion and in reinforcing their economic base.

The EESC has decided to carry out a consultation among a great number of actors, sectors and organisations in order to get concrete information on factors which can be held responsible for restraints to further development across Europe.

Contact:Mr Jean-Pierre Faure

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 96 15 – e-mail: )

3.TRANSPORT AND INNOVATION

• Road transport in 2020: organised civil society's expectations

Rapporteur: MrSimons (Employers– NL)

Reference: Exploratory opinion – CESE 871/2009

Key points:

All forecasts indicate that there will be sharp, double-digit increase in goods transport by road from now until 2020. The expected growth also brings with a range of difficulties that are already engaging supranational authorities, governments, stakeholder groups and the general public. These include rising levels of CO2 emissions, transport-sector dependence on fossil fuels, the shortage of safe infrastructure, and guaranteed sound (working) conditions for drivers.

To address these difficulties, the Committee feels it vital to generate a sense of urgency among all concerned, thereby securing the support that is so essential. The Committee feels that more needs to be done to tackle CO2 emissions at source, among other things by a series of essential measures: the stepping up of the development of new-generation, low-energy engines, the creation of a well-financed research and development programme to explore how sustainable energy can be deployed in this sector, and tax-related measures to promote products and/or measures geared towards alternative propulsion techniques and the reduction of CO2 emissions (this might include a quicker phase-out of older models of goods vehicles).

In addition to technical innovations and similar investments, swift action is needed to expand the requisite infrastructure to handle the expected growth, including, for example, providing a sufficient number of properly equipped, secure and guarded parking areas and service stations. Universally applicable standards (structural design, services provided, parking guidance systems) must be developed and introduced without delay in service stations and parking areas – not only on motorways.

As a profession, driving needs to be kept attractive through guaranteed sound (working) conditions, including, not only on paper but also in practice, regular working hours and harmonised driving time and rest periods, The Committee feels that monitoring of the social legislation covering this sector should also be harmonised at a high level across the EU and, when necessary, subject to sanctions. Social dialogue between employers and workers at both national and EU level is vital to the smooth operation of the sector.

The Committee is firm in its belief that the proposals set out in this opinion must not only serve to generate a sense of urgency but must above all also be a catalyst for prompt and speedy action to tackle the expected growth in a sustainable way.

Contact:Ms Ana-Cristina Costea

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 88 97 – e-mail: )

• Deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems

Rapporteur: Mr Zbořil (Employers – CZ)

References: COM(2008) 887 final – 2008/0263 COD – CESE 872/2009

Key points:

The EESC welcomes the Commission's initiative, believing it essential to have a reliable, functional, effective and safe road transport system (including services provided in this area). The Committee agrees that the proposed directive should be adopted to make the ITS action plan possible, since it constitutes the required legal framework for coordinating the intelligent transport system while being supple enough to meet the proportionality and subsidiarity principles.

The EESC considers it essential to have a unified European taxonomy (such as the AlerTC system) of incidents and conditions affecting traffic flow and safety on the roads. An XML data exchange format also needs to be standardised to enable the exchange of real-time traffic data and travel information. The parameters also need to be established for creating a standardised georeferenced network of road infrastructure for a standardised digital geographical localisation of conditions and incidents, including information on roads and stretches of road and associated infrastructure. A system should be used to process and distribute the necessary data to the end user so that it does not unduly inconvenience drivers, but actually make things easier for them and so increases traffic safety.

The EESC recommends that the architecture of ITS systems be speedily established at national level by defining specific functions as well as the basic standard equipment for TEN-T roads with tangible telematic systems to deliver the specific functions required. The Committee points out that building the infrastructure should involve relevant sources of funding from the Community, the MemberStates and the private sector. Operating costs should be funded from taxes or tolls. Obligations to be met by central bodies at national level in the collecting, processing, sharing, publishing, distributing and cross-border sharing of traffic data must also be worked out in further detail.

ITS will involve the increasing use of high volumes of data. Their implementation, therefore, requires the development of a long-term approach, taking into account not only current applications but also possible future system developments and the role and responsibility of the various parties involved. The intelligent transport systems put in place must also strictly comply with data protection requirements.

The EESC recommends that appropriate measures be included in the action plan to promote modern IT transport technologies e.g. through the organisation of a competition for intelligent vehicles.

Contact: Mr Sébastien Occhipenti

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 84 24 – e-mail: )

4.TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

• The greening of maritime transport and inland waterway transport

Rapporteur: Ms Bredima (Employers – EL)

Reference: Exploratory opinion – CESE 868/2009

Key points:

The EESC welcomes the approach that "Greening" of the environment of oceans and rivers can be achieved through a holistic policy promoting "green" investment and creating "green employment". The EESC urges the Commission to make a distinction in future referrals and to consider inland navigation as an inland transport mode. Moreover the environmental performance of maritime transport and inland navigation should be seen against the performance of EU land transport and the pollution originating from land-based sources. EU measures concerning environmental pollution ought to be applicable to leisure boats and, if possible, naval vessels as well. Such measures should be applicable to all ships (irrespective of flag), as practical and cost effective as possible.

In the European Year for Research and Innovation (2009) the EU industry should become the leader in innovative research of green technologies for ship and port design and operations. This initiative will have the additional benefit of creating more employment in the EU ("green jobs"). Intelligent investments in greener systems for ships, energy efficiency and ports will speed up recovery from the world economic crisis. The EESC suggests that a balance between legislation and industry initiatives can achieve better results. It urges the Commission to examine how it can capitalise on best practices at EU level. There is no conflict between sustainable maritime and inland waterways transport and profitability.

The Committee could serve as the official "communicator" of new green policies to the organised European civil society towards achieving the development of a "green culture". It can be the European forum raising the environmental awareness of the organised civil society.

In terms of CO2 emissions maritime and inland navigation transport are recognised as the most efficient form of commercial transport. Promoting inland navigation is key to reducing CO2 emissions of the transport sector. Regarding the maritime transport significant reductions can be achieved via an array of technical and operational measures. In considering emission trading schemes (ETS) for maritime transport the competitiveness of the European shipping industry in the global market should not be adversely affected. A global scheme would be much more effective in reducing CO2 emissions from international shipping than an EU scheme or the other regional scheme.The application of ETS is considerably more complicated in the maritime transport than for aviation, and in particular on tramp shipping. A levy on carbon (bunker fuels), or some other form of levy, could be as "effective" and far simpler to operate in maritime transport if applied internationally.

Contact: Ms Aleksandra Klenke

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 98 99 – e-mail: )

• Better ship dismantling

Rapporteur: Ms Bredima (Employers – EL)

References: COM(2008) 767 final – CESE 877/2009

Key points:

The Committee supports the swift ratification and implementation of the IMO Ship Recycling Convention (2009). EU Member States and recycling States should be prompted to take all measures for its early entry into force. Likewise, it supports the inclusion of rules on the clean dismantling of warships and other government vessels in the measures on ship dismantling.

The Committee deems it important to take actions to redress the appalling environmental and social conditions in many of the South Asian recycling facilities, by improving their operation, while maintaining the income for local communities from jobs and services provided. There should be a balancing act between retaining capacity and improving conditions in yards. At the same time, a level playing field between European and Asian recycling yards has to be established. Dismantling capacity needs to be increased to meet growing demand and the challenge of doing this in a safe and sustainable way must be met. Developing a way to cover the substantially higher labour costs of dismantling in European yards can be achieved through a combination of regulatory action and industry initiatives.

The Committee realises that in the foreseeable future “beaching” ships for breaking will continue to be the preferred method. Hence, current conditions need to be improved so that the yards are operated in a safe and environmentally sound manner.

The Committee supports the development of a model of an integrated management system (IMS) for the internationally independent certification of ship recycling facilities to demonstrate safe and environmentally sound recycling in accordance with the future IMO Convention. Furthermore, it recommends that the Commission's study on a recycling fund takes into account the "polluter pays" and "producer responsibility" principles of European law and its compatibility with state aid legislation.

Although the Committee recognises thatthe establishment of ship recycling yards in the EU may be objected by local communities on environmental grounds, it also notes thatif existing yards are utilised for the purpose and meet- as they should - EU, international and national standards, their operation may be acceptable as they will provide significant job opportunities.

The Commission is invited to devise policy incentives and rewards, e.g. "Clean Marine Awards" for ship owners and yards for exemplary ship recycling.

Contact:Ms Anna Bobo Remijn

(Tel.: 00 32 2 546 82 75 – e-mail: )

5.SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

• Education and training needs for the carbon-free energy society

Rapporteur: Mr Iozia (Employees – IT)

Reference: Exploratory opinion – CESE 867/2009

Key points:

The Committee recognises that education across all age groups and training for technicians and graduates has a crucial role to play in moving towards a "zero-emissions" society.

Despite solemn commitments (2003 Kiev Declaration, UN Decade of education for sustainable development 2005-2014), government and local authority initiatives on education and training have been totally insufficient, with the exception of a few significant examples.

The Committee is convinced that more and better efforts need to be made by means of a wide range of key players in society.