Category: Economy

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Public authorities should be required to allocate tenders based on lifecycle impact of purchased goods and services

Ecology

In a newly adopted report, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for mandatory circular public procurement across Europe to break governments’ unsustainable consumption patterns.

With an annual expenditure accounting for some 14% (some 2 trillion EUR per year) of the EU’s overall GDP, governments are Europe’s biggest consumers. Their expenditure stems mainly from public tenders to purchase the works, services and supplies they need from companies.

To encourage public authorities to embrace more sustainable consumption patterns through lifecycle thinking, looking beyond short-term needs to the longer-term impacts of each purchase, considerable work has been done in the EU over the last few years.

The European Commission has since 2017 issued guidance in the form of Green Public Procurement criteria, phasing in circular economy elements to close energy and material loops in supply chains, while minimising negative environmental impacts and waste creation. Continue reading “Public authorities should be required to allocate tenders based on lifecycle impact of purchased goods and services”

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It is time for a more prosperity-oriented form of economic governance

Euro

In its opinion on the Euro area’s economic policy for 2021, the European Economic and Social Committee welcomes the Commission’s recommendations, but calls for a shift in fiscal rules towards a more prosperity-oriented form of economic governance, including a golden rule for public investment.

At its first plenary assembly of the year, the EESC adopted an opinion on the European Commission’s recommendation for the economic policy of the euro area. The consultative body welcomes the Commission’s recommendations on the economic policy of the euro area, strongly supports the Next Generation EU package and urges that the necessary agreements be concluded as soon as possible. However, the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis will only be successful if accompanied by a restructuring of our economy and society, and rebuilding confidence is key to stabilising demand. This can be achieved by: Continue reading “It is time for a more prosperity-oriented form of economic governance”

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EU and China reach agreement in principle on investment

Export

The EU and China have concluded in principle the negotiations for a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI).  This deal follows a call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and European Commission President von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on behalf of the Presidency of the EU Council, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron. China has committed to a greater level of market access for EU investors than ever before, including some new important market openings. China is also making commitments to ensure fair treatment for EU companies so they can compete on a better level playing field in China, including in terms of disciplines for state owned enterprises, transparency of subsidies and rules against the forced transfer of technologies. For the first time, China has also agreed to ambitious provisions on sustainable development, including commitments on forced labour and the ratification of the relevant ILO fundamental Conventions.

The Agreement will create a better balance in the EU-China trade relationship. The EU has traditionally been much more open than China to foreign investment. This is true as regards foreign investment in general. China now commits to open up to the EU in a number of key sectors.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said: “Today‘s agreement is an important landmark in our relationship with China and for our values-based trade agenda. It will provide unprecedented access to the Chinese market for European investors, enabling our businesses to grow and create jobs. It will also commit China to ambitious principles on sustainability, transparency and non-discrimination. The agreement will rebalance our economic relationship with China”. Continue reading “EU and China reach agreement in principle on investment”