# Official Journal C 517/22 D

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 517 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 6422 December 2021 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 517

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 6422 December 2021

---

| Contents | page |
| --- | --- |
| | I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions |
| | OPINIONS |
| | European Economic and Social Committee |
| | 563rd plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee – Interactio, 22.9.2021–23.9.2021 |
| 2021/C 517/01 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the role of Cohesion policy on The role of cohesion policy in combatting inequalities in the new programming period following the COVID-19 crisis. Complementarities and possible overlaps with the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and national recovery plans (Own-initiative opinion) | 1 |
| 2021/C 517/02 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Securing media freedom and diversity in Europe (Own-initiative opinion) | 9 |
| 2021/C 517/03 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Emergency measures to support employment and income during the pandemic crisis (Own-initiative opinion) | 16 |
| 2021/C 517/04 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Key components of sustainable quality work during and after recovery (Exploratory opinion at the request of the Slovenian Presidency) | 23 |
| 2021/C 517/05 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Towards a Fair Food Supply Chain’ (Exploratory opinion) | 38 |

Contents

page

I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions

OPINIONS

European Economic and Social Committee

563rd plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee – Interactio, 22.9.2021–23.9.2021

2021/C 517/01

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the role of Cohesion policy on The role of cohesion policy in combatting inequalities in the new programming period following the COVID-19 crisis. Complementarities and possible overlaps with the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and national recovery plans (Own-initiative opinion)

1

2021/C 517/02

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Securing media freedom and diversity in Europe (Own-initiative opinion)

9

2021/C 517/03

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Emergency measures to support employment and income during the pandemic crisis (Own-initiative opinion)

16

2021/C 517/04

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Key components of sustainable quality work during and after recovery (Exploratory opinion at the request of the Slovenian Presidency)

23

2021/C 517/05

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Towards a Fair Food Supply Chain’ (Exploratory opinion)

38

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| | III   Preparatory acts |
| --- | --- |
| | European Economic and Social Committee |
| | 563rd plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee – Interactio, 22.9.2021–23.9.2021 |
| 2021/C 517/06 | 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 — Better Regulation: Joining forces to make better laws (COM(2021) 219 final) | 45 |
| 2021/C 517/07 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, as regards corporate sustainability reporting (COM(2021) 189 final — 2021/104 (COD)) | 51 |
| 2021/C 517/08 | 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 — Fostering a European approach to Artificial Intelligence (COM(2021) 205 final) | 56 |
| 2021/C 517/09 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) and amending certain union legislative acts (COM(2021) 206 final — 2021/106 (COD)) | 61 |
| 2021/C 517/10 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on machinery products’(COM(2021) 202 final — 2021/0105 (COD)) | 67 |
| 2021/C 517/11 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — EU Taxonomy, Corporate Sustainability Reporting, Sustainability Preferences and Fiduciary Duties: Directing finance towards the European Green Deal (COM(2021) 188 final) | 72 |
| 2021/C 517/12 | 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 on the EU Strategy on Combatting trafficking in human beings 2021-2025’(COM(2021) 171 final) | 78 |
| 2021/C 517/13 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council — The EU strategy on voluntary return and reintegration (COM(2021) 120 final) | 86 |
| 2021/C 517/14 | 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 on the EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime 2021-2025 (COM(2021) 170 final) | 91 |
| 2021/C 517/15 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (COM(2021) 282 final — 2021/0137 (NLE)) | 97 |
| 2021/C 517/16 | 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 on Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030’(COM(2021) 236 final) | 103 |
| 2021/C 517/17 | 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 on a New approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU — Transforming the EU’s Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future (COM(2021) 240 final) | 108 |
| 2021/C 517/18 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on an Action Plan for the development of EU organic production (COM(2021) 141 final) | 114 |
| 2021/C 517/19 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2020/2222 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the cross-border infrastructure linking the Union and the United Kingdom through the Channel Fixed Link (COM(2021) 402 final — 2021/0228(COD)) | 120 |
| 2021/C 517/20 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Regional Steering Committee of the Transport Community as regards the adoption of the budget of the Transport Community for 2022 (COM(2021) 479 final — 2021/0272 (NLE)) | 121 |
| 2021/C 517/21 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area (recast) (COM(2021) 434 final — 2021/0248 (COD)) | 122 |
| 2021/C 517/22 | Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013, as regards restrictions to the access to Union waters (COM(2021) 356 final — 2021/0176 (COD)) | 123 |

III   Preparatory acts

European Economic and Social Committee

563rd plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee – Interactio, 22.9.2021–23.9.2021

2021/C 517/06

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 — Better Regulation: Joining forces to make better laws (COM(2021) 219 final)

(COM(2021) 219 final)

45

2021/C 517/07

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, as regards corporate sustainability reporting (COM(2021) 189 final — 2021/104 (COD))

(COM(2021) 189 final — 2021/104 (COD))

51

2021/C 517/08

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 — Fostering a European approach to Artificial Intelligence (COM(2021) 205 final)

(COM(2021) 205 final)

56

2021/C 517/09

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) and amending certain union legislative acts (COM(2021) 206 final — 2021/106 (COD))

(COM(2021) 206 final — 2021/106 (COD))

61

2021/C 517/10

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on machinery products’(COM(2021) 202 final — 2021/0105 (COD))

(COM(2021) 202 final — 2021/0105 (COD))

67

2021/C 517/11

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — EU Taxonomy, Corporate Sustainability Reporting, Sustainability Preferences and Fiduciary Duties: Directing finance towards the European Green Deal (COM(2021) 188 final)

(COM(2021) 188 final)

72

2021/C 517/12

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 on the EU Strategy on Combatting trafficking in human beings 2021-2025’(COM(2021) 171 final)

(COM(2021) 171 final)

78

2021/C 517/13

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council — The EU strategy on voluntary return and reintegration (COM(2021) 120 final)

(COM(2021) 120 final)

86

2021/C 517/14

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 on the EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime 2021-2025 (COM(2021) 170 final)

(COM(2021) 170 final)

91

2021/C 517/15

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (COM(2021) 282 final — 2021/0137 (NLE))

(COM(2021) 282 final — 2021/0137 (NLE))

97

2021/C 517/16

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 on Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030’(COM(2021) 236 final)

(COM(2021) 236 final)

103

2021/C 517/17

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 on a New approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU — Transforming the EU’s Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future (COM(2021) 240 final)

(COM(2021) 240 final)

108

2021/C 517/18

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on an Action Plan for the development of EU organic production (COM(2021) 141 final)

(COM(2021) 141 final)

114

2021/C 517/19

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2020/2222 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the cross-border infrastructure linking the Union and the United Kingdom through the Channel Fixed Link (COM(2021) 402 final — 2021/0228(COD))

(COM(2021) 402 final — 2021/0228(COD))

120

2021/C 517/20

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Regional Steering Committee of the Transport Community as regards the adoption of the budget of the Transport Community for 2022 (COM(2021) 479 final — 2021/0272 (NLE))

(COM(2021) 479 final — 2021/0272 (NLE))

121

2021/C 517/21

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area (recast) (COM(2021) 434 final — 2021/0248 (COD))

(COM(2021) 434 final — 2021/0248 (COD))

122

2021/C 517/22

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013, as regards restrictions to the access to Union waters (COM(2021) 356 final — 2021/0176 (COD))

(COM(2021) 356 final — 2021/0176 (COD))

123

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EN