Brussels, 13/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes will address the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) plenary on 14/15 December on 'The reform of state aid in the light of the Lisbon Strategy: the case of innovation'. The plenary will be chaired by Anne-Marie Sigmund. Other items on the agenda of the last plenary of the year include an exploratory opinion commissioned by the Austrian Presidency on moving towards a European knowledge-based society - the contribution of organised civil society to the Lisbon Strategy, and an opinion on the Commission's Communication Strategy ('Reflection and beyond: Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate').
After Neelie Kroes' address, the EESC will vote on an opinion by rapporteur general Antonello Pezzini (Italy, Employers' Group) on state aid for innovation. The EESC generally approves the Commission's consultation document and in his opinion on the state aid action plan 2005-2009, Pezzini will express support for updating the EU's state aid policy to adopt a new proactive approach. The EESC will then be addressed by Jillian van Turnhout (Ireland, Diverse Activities' group) on the European Commission's Plan D. The two basic messages of her opinion are that the Constitution's measures concerning democracy in the EU should be brought forward, and organised civil society and its representatives should be able to express their views. Rapporteur Jan Olsson (Sweden, Diverse Activities) and co-rapporteurs Eva Belabed (Austria, Workers' Group) and Josst van Iersel (Netherlands, Employers') will outline their exploratory opinion on the knowledge-based society within the Lisbon Strategy.
The members of the EESC will then vote on four own initiative reporters on 'Hygiene rules and artisanal food processors' (rapporteur: Mr Ribbe, Germany, Diverse Activities); joint enterprises in the fisheries sector (Mr Sarro Iparraguirre, Spain, Diverse Activities); the role of technology parks in the industrial transformation of the new Member States (Mr Toth, Hungary, Diverse Activities); and renewable energies (Mrs Sirkkeinen, Finland, Employers and Mr Wolf, Germany, Diverse Activities). The EESC will endorse two exploratory opinions - on security of modes of transport (Mr Simons, Netherlands, Employers') and 'How to integrate social aspects into the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations' (Mr Pezzini, Italy, Employers, and Mr Dantin, France, Workers').