ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 62

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 62
15 February 2019

Contents

page

I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions

OPINIONS

European Economic and Social Committee

538th EESC plenary session, 17.10.2018-18.10.2018

2019/C 62/01

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Challenges and Industrial Change in the EU Aerospace Sector’

1

2019/C 62/02

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘European Finance-Climate Pact’ (own-initiative opinion)

8

2019/C 62/03

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Strategic developments in industrial policy by 2030, with a view to strengthening the competitiveness and diversity of the industrial base in Europe and focusing on long-term performance within global value chains’ (exploratory opinion requested by the Austrian Presidency)

16

III   Preparatory acts

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

538th EESC plenary session, 17.10.2018-18.10.2018

2019/C 62/04

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on (a) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive (EU) 2017/1132 as regards the use of digital tools and processes in company law (COM(2018) 239 final — 2018/0113 (COD)) and on (b) Proposal for a Directive amending Directive (EU) 2017/1132 as regards cross-border conversions, mergers and divisions (COM(2018) 241 final — 2018/0114 (COD))

24

2019/C 62/05

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on a) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination (COM(2018) 435 final — 2018/0224 (COD)) and on b) Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (COM(2018) 436 final — 2018/0225 (COD))

33

2019/C 62/06

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the programme for single market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and European statistics and repealing Regulations (EU) No 99/2013, (EU) No 1287/2013, (EU) No 254/2014, (EU) No 258/2014, (EU) No 652/2014 and (EU) 2017/826’(COM(2018) 441 final — 2018/0231 (COD))

40

2019/C 62/07

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the “Customs” programme for cooperation in the field of customs’(COM(2018) 442 final — 2018/0232 (COD))

45

2019/C 62/08

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the space programme of the Union and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013, (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision 541/2014/EU’(COM(2018) 447 — 2018/0236 (COD))

51

2019/C 62/09

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on a) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters (COM(2018) 378 final — 2018/203 (COD)) and on b) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1393/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the service in the Member States of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters (service of documents) (COM(2018) 379 final — 2018/204 (COD))

56

2019/C 62/10

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the EU Anti-Fraud Programme’(COM(2018) 386 final — 2018/0211 (COD))

63

2019/C 62/11

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the instrument for financial support for customs control equipment’(COM(2018) 474 final — 2018/0258 (COD))

67

2019/C 62/12

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Action Plan: Financing Sustainable Growth’(COM(2018) 97 final)

73

2019/C 62/13

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum and Migration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Border Management and Visa Instrument’(COM(2018) 375 final — 2018/0196 (COD))

83

2019/C 62/14

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund’(COM(2018) 372 final — 2018/0197 (COD))

90

2019/C 62/15

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on disclosures relating to sustainable investments and sustainability risks and amending Directive (EU) 2016/2341’(COM(2018) 354 final — 2018/0179 (COD))

97

2019/C 62/16

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment’(COM(2018) 353 final — 2018/0178 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2016/1011 on low carbon benchmarks and positive carbon impact benchmarks’(COM(2018) 355 final — 2018/0180 (COD))

103

2019/C 62/17

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 92/83/EEC on the harmonisation of the structures of excise duties on alcohol and alcoholic beverages’(COM(2018) 334 final — 2018/0173 (CNS)) on ‘Proposal for a Council Directive laying down the general arrangements for excise duty (recast)’(COM(2018) 346 final — 2018/0176 (CNS)) on ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on computerising the movement and surveillance of excise goods (recast)’(COM(2018) 341 final — 2018/0187 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 389/2012 on administrative cooperation in the field of excise duties as regards the content of electronic register’(COM(2018) 349 final — 2018/0181 (CNS))

108

2019/C 62/18

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on sovereign bond-backed securities’(COM(2018) 339 final — 2018/0171 (COD))

113

2019/C 62/19

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the “Fiscalis” programme for cooperation in the field of taxation’(COM(2018) 443 final — 2018/0233 (COD))

118

2019/C 62/20

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of the Reform Support Programme’(COM(2018) 391 final — 2018/0213 (COD))

121

2019/C 62/21

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a European Investment Stabilisation Function’(COM(2018) 387 final — 2018/0212 (COD))

126

2019/C 62/22

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the InvestEU Programme’(COM(2018) 439 final — 2018/0229 (COD))

131

2019/C 62/23

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Building a stronger Europe: the role of youth, education and culture policies’(COM(2018) 268 final) on ‘Proposal for a Council Recommendation on promoting automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper secondary education diplomas and the outcomes of learning periods abroad’(COM(2018) 270 final — 2018/0126 (NLE)) on ‘Proposal for a Council Recommendation on High Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Systems’(COM(2018) 271 final — 2018/0127 (NLE)) and on ‘Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages’(COM(2018) 272 final — 2018/0128 (NLE))

136

2019/C 62/24

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Engaging, connecting and empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy’(COM(2018) 269 final)

142

2019/C 62/25

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 A New European Agenda for Culture’(COM(2018) 267 final))

148

2019/C 62/26

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee Strengthening whistleblower protection at EU level’(COM(2018) 214 final) and on ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law’(COM(2018) 218 final)

155

2019/C 62/27

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)’ (COM(2018) 382 final — 2018/0206 (COD))

165

2019/C 62/28

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the Union’s budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States’(COM(2018) 324 final — 2018/0136 (COD))

173

2019/C 62/29

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Rights and Values programme’(COM(2018) 383 final — 2017/0207 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Justice programme’(COM(2018) 384 final — 2017/0208 (COD))

178

2019/C 62/30

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund’(COM(2018) 471 final — 2018/0248 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the instrument for financial support for border management and visa’(COM(2018) 473 final — 2018/0249(COD))

184

2019/C 62/31

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Internal Security Fund’(COM(2018) 472 final — 2018/0250 (COD))

189

2019/C 62/32

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing “Erasmus”: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013’(COM(2018) 367 final — 2018/0191 (COD))

194

2019/C 62/33

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Solidarity Corps programme and repealing [European Solidarity Corps Regulation] and Regulation (EU) No 375/2014’(COM(2018) 440 final — 2018/0230 (COD))

201

2019/C 62/34

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment’(COM(2018) 340 final — 2018/0172 (COD))

207

2019/C 62/35

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council’(COM(2018) 392 final — 2018/0216 (COD)) on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013’(COM(2018) 393 final — 2018/0217 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products, (EU) No 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, (EU) No 251/2014 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of aromatised wine products, (EU) No 228/2013 laying down specific measures for agriculture in the outermost regions of the Union and (EU) No 229/2013 laying down specific measures for agriculture in favour of the smaller Aegean islands’(COM(2018) 394 final — 2018/0218 (COD))

214

2019/C 62/36

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013’(COM(2018) 385 final — 2018/209 (COD))

226

2019/C 62/37

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism’(COM(2017) 772 final — 2017/0309 (COD))

231

2019/C 62/38

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the re-use of public sector information (recast) and Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Towards a common European data space’(COM(2018) 234 final — 2018/0111 (COD); COM(2018) 232 final)

238

2019/C 62/39

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 — Europe on the move — Sustainable mobility for Europe: safe, connected and clean’(COM(2018) 293 final)

254

2019/C 62/40

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management’(COM(2018) 274 final — 2018/0129 (COD))

261

2019/C 62/41

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European Maritime Single Window environment and repealing Directive 2010/65/EU’(COM(2018) 278 final — 2018/0139 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on electronic freight transport information’(COM(2018) 279 final — 2018/0140 (COD))

265

2019/C 62/42

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on streamlining measures for advancing the realisation of the trans-European transport network’(COM(2018) 277 final — 2018/0138 (COD))

269

2019/C 62/43

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, the Committee of the Regions — On the road to automated mobility: An EU strategy for the mobility of the future’(COM(2018) 283 final)

274

2019/C 62/44

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009’(COM(2018) 296 final — 2018/0148 (COD))

280

2019/C 62/45

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles’(COM(2018) 284 final — 2018/0143 (COD)) and on ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 96/53/EC as regards the time limit for the implementation of the special rules regarding maximum length in case of cabs delivering improved aerodynamic performance, energy efficiency and safety performance’(COM(2018) 275 final — 2018/0130 (COD))

286

2019/C 62/46

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Digital Europe programme for the period 2021-2027’(COM(2018) 434 final — 2018/0227 (COD))

292

2019/C 62/47

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 391/2009 with regards to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union’(COM(2018) 567 final — 2018/0298 (COD))

298

2019/C 62/48

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 1316/2013 with regard to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union’(COM(2018) 568 final — 2018/0299 (COD))

301

2019/C 62/49

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC’(COM(2018) 639 final — 2018/0332 (COD))

305

2019/C 62/50

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 1303/2013 as regards the resources for economic, social and territorial cohesion and correcting that Regulation as regards the resources for the investment for growth and jobs goal’(COM(2018) 498 final — 2018/0265 (COD))

308

2019/C 62/51

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems (borders and visa) and amending Council Decision 2004/512/EC, Regulation (EC) No 767/2008, Council Decision 2008/633/JHA, Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Regulation (EU) 2017/2226, Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the ETIAS Regulation], Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the Regulation on SIS in the field of border checks] and Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the eu-LISA Regulation]’(COM(2018) 478 final — 2017/0351 (COD)) and on ‘Amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems (police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration) and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the Eurodac Regulation], Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the Regulation on SIS in the field of law enforcement], Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the ECRIS-TCN Regulation] and Regulation (EU) 2018/XX [the eu-LlSA Regulation]’(COM(2018) 480 final — 2017/0352 (COD))

309

2019/C 62/52

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Fisheries Control Agency (codification)’(COM(2018) 499 final — 2018/0263 (COD))

310

2019/C 62/53

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Council Decision on the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the European Union including relations between the European on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other (“Overseas Association Decision”)’(COM(2018) 461 final)

311

2019/C 62/54

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Euro area economic policy 2018 (additional opinion)’(COM(2017) 770 final)

312