EN
25.5.2023
Official Journal of the European Union
C 184/45
Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – 2022 Strategic Foresight Report – Twinning the green and digital transitions in the new geopolitical context’ (COM(2022) 289 final) (2023/C 184/08)
Rapporteur: Angelo PAGLIARA
Referral
European Commission, 27.10.2022
Legal basis
Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
Section responsible
Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption
Adopted in section
10.3.2023
Adopted at plenary
22.3.2023
Plenary session No
577
Outcome of vote (for/against/abstentions)
204/0/3
Preamble The European Commission's report and the following opinion have been drawn up at a time marked by the social, geopolitical and economic implications of Russia's continued military aggression against Ukraine.
The strategic choices being made by the European Union in these months are set to shape not only the achievement of the objectives of the twin green and digital transitions, but also the EU's resilience and strategic autonomy.
Therefore, with the following opinion, and aware of the fundamental role that organised civil society plays in identifying and interpreting megatrends, and thus of the importance of involving organised civil society upstream in the EU's strategic foresight process, the EESC is also seeking to contribute to the drafting of the 2023 Strategic Foresight Report, which will focus on strategic guidance to strengthen the EU's global role.
1.
Conclusions and recommendations 1.1.
The EESC encourages the Commission to continue developing the strategic foresight agenda, and is calling for increased involvement in the process from the very beginning.
Greater involvement for the EESC, as the voice of the social partners and organised civil society, would enhance the EU's analysis and foresight capacities and help to pinpoint trends and possible solutions. 1.2.
The EESC would like to see the strategic foresight agenda, as well as the European Commission's action, geared towards building a new development model that takes due account of economic, environmental and social sustainability. 1.3.
As achieving the twin transitions also depends on people's willingness and behaviour, the EESC recommends that the Commission also pay attention to the concerns of society and to the possible reluctance among people towards the proposed changes. 1.4.
The report describes the desired future and the resources needed to achieve it, without addressing the risks and threats in sufficient depth.
The EESC calls on the Commission to set out a clearer picture of the risks involved and to analyse the possibilities and scenarios in the event that the desired objectives are not met, especially in the part concerning the availability of raw materials, rare earth metals, water resources and possible related issues. 1.5.
The ongoing geopolitical challenges will influence supply systems and the resilience of Europe's agri-food sector.
The recent events linked to COVID-19 and to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine disrupted our distribution system and this is likely to happen again in the short term.
The EESC welcomes the recommendation to reduce the EU's dependence on imports of feed, fertilisers and other inputs and proposes establishing a definition of open strategic autonomy applied to food systems, based on food production, workforce and fair trade — with the overarching aim of ensuring food security for all EU citizens through a healthy, sustainable, resilient and fair food supply.