European Economic and Social Committee
PRESS RELEASE No 106/2008 / 1 December 2008European Economic and Social Committee
EESC plenary session: three thematic debates on Growth & jobs, energy policy and aeronautics industry
The EESC's plenary session on 3 and 4 December 2008 plans to hold three thematic debates, part of new President Mario Sepi's plans to modernise the Committee's work. Together with EESC President Sepi, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will speak on the Lisbon Strategy and present the Recovery Plan for Growth and Jobs. French Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, will speak on energy policy and on the current stage of the French EU Presidency. The EESC will also debate and adopt a series of key opinions related to the European aeronautics industry.
Location: Charlemagne Building, European Commission, room 53, 1040 Brussels.
Date: 3 and 4 December 2008, 2.30 p.m.
Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs
Commission President José Manuel Barroso will present the Commission's legislative programme 2009 and the Recovery Plan for Growth and Jobs to the EESC plenary session. This plan is aimed at boosting demand and restoring confidence in the European economy.
The EESC will then debate and plans to adopt an exploratory opinion on the 'Lisbon growth and jobs strategy', drawn up by EESC member and general rapporteur Susanna Florio (Employees' Group, Italy).
Date: 4 December 2008, 9 a.m.
European energy policy
Jean-Pierre Jouyet, French Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, will present the current stage of the French EU Presidency and speak more particularly on energy policy. The EESC plans to adopt three key opinions on this subject:
- Future investments in the nuclear industry and the role of such investments in EU energy policy (exploratory opinion), by rapporteur Edgardo Iozia (Employees' Group, Italy)
- Addressing the challenge of energy efficiency through Information and Communication Technologies, by rapporteur Bernardo Hernández Bataller (Various Interests Group, Spain)
- The social implications of transport and energy developments (own-initiative opinion), by rapporteur Laure Batut (Employees' Group, France)
Date: 4 December 2008, 11.45 a.m.
Aeronautics industry
The EESC will also discuss and plans to adopt: an opinion on the 'Single Sky II' by rapporteur Jacek Krawczyk, an own-initiative opinion on the European aeronautics industry by rapporteur Marius Opran (Employers' Group, Romania) and an opinion on the prospects of the European air traffic management system by general rapporteur An Le Nouail Marlière (Employees' Group, France).
Date: 3 December 2008, 5.15 p.m.
Among other key topics of the EESC's plenary session, an important opinion will be adopted on the issue of the European works council, of high political relevance given the controversial nature of the legislative proposal. Other main themes of the plenary session include:
- The European Defence Industry
- New communication technologies
- Patients' rights
- Better regulation at EU level
- Industrial emissions
- European retail industry
To consult the agenda of the plenary session and the draft opinions, please visit:
For more details, please contact:Christian Weger, EESC Press Office
99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels
Tel.: +32 2 546 9396/9586; mobile: +32 475 75 32 02
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The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.