# Official Journal C 47/2020

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 47 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 6311 February 2020 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 47

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 6311 February 2020

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| Contents | page |
| --- | --- |
| | I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions |
| | RESOLUTIONS |
| | European Economic and Social Committee |
| 2020/C 47/01 | Resolution on ‘The European Economic and Social Committee’s contribution to the 2020 Commission’s work programme and beyond’ | 1 |
| 2020/C 47/02 | Resolution on ‘Opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania: EU credibility and geostrategic interests should be upheld’ | 15 |
| | OPINIONS |
| | European Economic and Social Committee |
| 2020/C 47/03 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Blockchain and the EU single market: what next?  (own-initiative opinion) | 17 |
| 2020/C 47/04 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Ensuring an inclusive sectoral transition to a digitalised rail sector’ (own-initiative opinion) | 23 |
| 2020/C 47/05 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Leaving no one behind when implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda  (own-initiative opinion) | 30 |
| 2020/C 47/06 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The role of the EU’s trade and investment policies in enhancing the EU’s economic performance’ (own-initiative opinion) | 38 |
| 2020/C 47/07 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘A more constructive role for civil society in implementing environmental law’ (exploratory opinion) | 50 |
| 2020/C 47/08 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Blue bio-economy’ (exploratory opinion) | 58 |

Contents

page

I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions

RESOLUTIONS

European Economic and Social Committee

2020/C 47/01

Resolution on ‘The European Economic and Social Committee’s contribution to the 2020 Commission’s work programme and beyond’

1

2020/C 47/02

Resolution on ‘Opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania: EU credibility and geostrategic interests should be upheld’

15

OPINIONS

European Economic and Social Committee

2020/C 47/03

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Blockchain and the EU single market: what next?  (own-initiative opinion)

17

2020/C 47/04

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Ensuring an inclusive sectoral transition to a digitalised rail sector’ (own-initiative opinion)

23

2020/C 47/05

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Leaving no one behind when implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda  (own-initiative opinion)

30

2020/C 47/06

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The role of the EU’s trade and investment policies in enhancing the EU’s economic performance’ (own-initiative opinion)

38

2020/C 47/07

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘A more constructive role for civil society in implementing environmental law’ (exploratory opinion)

50

2020/C 47/08

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Blue bio-economy’ (exploratory opinion)

58

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| | III   Preparatory acts |
| --- | --- |
| | European Economic and Social Committee |
| 2020/C 47/09 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Building trust in human-centric artificial intelligence’ (COM(2019) 168 final) | 64 |
| 2020/C 47/10 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on  ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Strategic Innovation Agenda of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) 2021-2027: Boosting the Innovation Talent and Capacity of Europe’ (COM(2019) 330 final — 2019/00152 (COD)) and ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (recast)’ (COM(2019) 331 final — 2019/00151 (COD)) | 69 |
| 2020/C 47/11 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax and Directive 2008/118/EC concerning the general arrangements for excise duty as regards defence effort within the Union framework’ (COM(2019) 192 final — 2019/0096 (CNS)) | 76 |
| 2020/C 47/12 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Investor Citizenship and Residence Schemes in the European Union’ (COM(2019) 12 final) | 81 |
| 2020/C 47/13 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Progress in the implementation of the EU Forest Strategy “A new EU Forest Strategy: for forests and the forest sector”’ (COM(2018) 811 final) | 87 |
| 2020/C 47/14 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan’ (COM(2019) 190 final) | 92 |
| 2020/C 47/15 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions United in delivering the Energy Union and climate action — Setting the foundations for a successful clean energy transition’ (COM(2019) 285 final) | 98 |
| 2020/C 47/16 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 573/2014/EU on enhanced cooperation between Public Employment Services (PES)’ (COM(2019) 620 final) | 105 |
| 2020/C 47/17 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Euro area economic policy 2019 (additional opinion)  (COM(2018) 759 final) | 106 |
| 2020/C 47/18 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Annual Growth Survey 2019’ (additional opinion)  (COM(2018) 770 final) | 113 |

III   Preparatory acts

European Economic and Social Committee

2020/C 47/09

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Building trust in human-centric artificial intelligence’ (COM(2019) 168 final)

64

2020/C 47/10

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on  ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Strategic Innovation Agenda of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) 2021-2027: Boosting the Innovation Talent and Capacity of Europe’ (COM(2019) 330 final — 2019/00152 (COD)) and ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (recast)’ (COM(2019) 331 final — 2019/00151 (COD))

69

2020/C 47/11

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax and Directive 2008/118/EC concerning the general arrangements for excise duty as regards defence effort within the Union framework’ (COM(2019) 192 final — 2019/0096 (CNS))

76

2020/C 47/12

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Investor Citizenship and Residence Schemes in the European Union’ (COM(2019) 12 final)

81

2020/C 47/13

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Progress in the implementation of the EU Forest Strategy “A new EU Forest Strategy: for forests and the forest sector”’ (COM(2018) 811 final)

87

2020/C 47/14

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan’ (COM(2019) 190 final)

92

2020/C 47/15

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions United in delivering the Energy Union and climate action — Setting the foundations for a successful clean energy transition’ (COM(2019) 285 final)

98

2020/C 47/16

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 573/2014/EU on enhanced cooperation between Public Employment Services (PES)’ (COM(2019) 620 final)

105

2020/C 47/17

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Euro area economic policy 2019 (additional opinion)  (COM(2018) 759 final)

106

2020/C 47/18

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Annual Growth Survey 2019’ (additional opinion)  (COM(2018) 770 final)

113

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EN