Brussels, 25/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will be meeting on 26-27 March in Brussels under the chairmanship of Roger Briesch. On Thursday morning, the Vice President of the European Convention, Jean-Luc Dehaene will be examining the perspectives of the Convention's work, focusing on dialogue with civil society.
The EESC is expected to adopt own initiative opinions on consumer education (rapporteur: Hernandez Bataller, Various Activities Group, Spain), the broad economic guidelines for 2003 (Mr Vever, Employers' Group, France) and the EESC's proposals on a "WTO with a Human Face" (Mr Dimitriadis, Employers' Group, Greece). It is also expected to adopt additional own initiative opinions on the simplification and observation of the single market (Mr Simpson, Various Activities Group, United Kingdom), which supports the Commission's proposals and "especially that involving extension of the regular impact studies on the Commission's programmes".
In its own initiative on the Broad Economic Guidelines for 2003 (BEPG 2003), the EESC considers that priority must be to obtain a new European dynamic in growth based on job creation, targeting particular areas, with more effective application and more coherent channelling of the BEPG. The EESC believes that the better framing of the BEPG should speed up completion of the single market in the priority areas and guarantee more confidence and growth, as well as greater efforts in the Lisbon strategy and a strengthening of the provisions in common economic governance in the future treaty being prepared by the Convention.
The EESC will also be giving its opinion on the legislative proposals and communications from the Commission regarding employment, the environment, transport, education, energy and health. In an opinion on the European Employment Strategy (EES) (rapporteur, Mr Koryfidis, Workers' Group, Greece), the EESC is supporting the objectives of the new EES (full employment, quality jobs, work productivity and cohesion in the inclusive labour market). The ESC considers that investment in human resources and apprenticeships throughout life are the key factors in attaining the Lisbon objectives.
The other opinions on the agenda focus on: 1) restricting market availability and use of nonylphenol and cement; 2) harmonisation of safety measures in the supply of petro-chemical products; 3) basic training for seamen -amendment of directive 2001/25/EC; 4) Community action plan for conservation and sustainable use of fish resources in Mediterranean in the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy; 4) entry and residence conditions for third country nationals who are studying or in vocational training or voluntary work; 5) E-learning programme; 6) European reference criteria in education and training; 7) protecting rights and the dignity of the disabled; 8) URBAN 2002-2006; 9) rules on gas and electricity deliveries; 10) nuclear safety; 11) annual steel statistics 2003-2009; 13) accelerated introduction of prescriptions on double hull ships.