European Economic and Social Committee

PRESS RELEASE No 38/2007 16 May 2007

15th meeting of the European Economic Area Consultative Committee

EEA CC set out their views on Energy Policy and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms

Members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and members of the EFTA Consultative Committee (EFTA CC) met in Gdansk, Poland, on 15-16 May 2007 for the 15th meeting of the European Economic Area Consultative Committee (EEA CC). Under the joint chairmanship of Ms Liina Carr, Chairperson of the EESC delegation to the EEA CC, and Ms Wenche Paulsrud, Chairperson of the EFTA CC, the EEA CC adopted unanimously 2 resolutions: on "an Energy Policy for Europe" and on "the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms".

The resolution "An Energy Policy for Europe" was presented by: co-rapporteurs: Mr János Tóth (EESC, Hungary/Group III – Various Interest Groups) and Mr Jon Vea (EFTA Consultative Committee, Norway/Employers). In this paper the EEA CC welcomed the latest EU initiative for an ambitious energy policy and urged the relevant authorities to now focus on the two far most challenging issues for Europe, namely how to secure future energy supplies while tackling the climate change challenge and its effects on the environment, economy and society at large. The Committee encouraged the relevant authorities to develop ambitious policies to allow for more investment, innovation, research and development in low-carbon energy technologies, in energy efficiency, and in cleaner and safer energy. The social partners and civil society organisations should be fully involved in developing new and comprehensive policies, including information strategies to facilitate necessary behavioural changes, possible carbon pricing schemes to reduce emissions, and incentives to involve industry and citizens in the fight against climate change, all taking the social dimension and the impact on employment and skills into account.

The EEA CC also welcomed the contribution of the EEA EFTA States to social and economic cohesion in the EEA through the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms and the valuable opportunities these offered stakeholders in the beneficiary states. In the resolution prepared by co-rapporteurs: Mr Meelis Joost (EESC, Estonia/Group III – Various Interest Groups) and Mr André Nerheim (EFTA Consultative Committee, Norway/Trade Unions), the Committee considered that the EEA EFTA States should also grant national funds to stakeholders so they could more easily support development of projects at an early stage. Finally, the donor and beneficiary states should already now involve the social partners, the civil society organisations, the local and regional authorities and other relevant actors, in a dialogue on a possible post-2009 financial mechanism.

The EEA CC also had an exchange of views with representatives of the EEA Joint Committee and the EFTA Surveillance Authority on the latest developments in the European Economic Area. And it debated free movement of workers and

EN European Economic and Social Committee

migration and the new Northern Dimension policy. Social Partners from Switzerland attended the meeting as observers.

For further information on the adopted resolutions please contact: Mr Raffaele Del Fiore from EESC tel.: +32-2-546 97 94, [email protected] and Ms Margrethe Saxegaard (EFTA Consultative Committee), tel.: +32-2-286 17 23, [email protected].

Background note: The European Economic Area Consultative Committee (EEA-CC) represents employers, employees and other civil society players in the 28 member states of the EEA. The Committee is part of the EEA's institutional structure. It comprises representatives of the EFTA Consultative Committee from the EEA and representatives of the EESC. Switzerland sends observers.

The next EEA CC meeting is scheduled to take place in spring 2008.

For more details, please contact: Karel Govaert or Christian Weger at the EESC Press Office, 99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels Tel.: +32 2 546 9396/9586; Mobile: +32 475 75 32 02 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/ Press Releases: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/cp/index_en.asp (English) http://www.eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/cp/index_fr.asp (French)

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 344 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.