Water is a vital resource. However, it is becoming increasingly scarce due to the climate crisis. Not only humans and nature, but also sectors such as agriculture, energy and the textile industry need large quantities. To find solutions to the major challenges we face, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is calling for a Blue Deal for the EU. Modelled on the EU Green Deal, the intention is to create a European strategy to ensure good management of the "blue gold" for people, the economy and our planet.

On Wednesday, 13 September 2023, Commission President von der Leyen delivered the annual State of the Union (SOTEU) address at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. The last SOTEU in this legislative period before the upcoming EU elections in June 2024 focused on green transition, artificial intelligence (AI) and enlargement. The social perspective was addressed with individual important points, for example with regard to the role of the social partners. However, overall it fell too short.

As part of the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the European Commission has put forward a number of proposals to ensure that the budget can continue to fulfil its key tasks in the face of rising costs. These include support for Ukraine, promoting strategic technologies, implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum and covering unforeseen expenditure.

The Brussels Offices of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport (BMKÖS) invite you to the joint film screening of the movie "FOR THE MANY - The Vienna Chamber of Labour".

The redesign of economic governance is to be decided by the end of the year. An agreement among Member States does not seem to be in sight yet and the debate on the EU fiscal rules is likely to become the key economic policy issue of the next six months. The demand from the workers’ perspective is that more consideration is given to social and environmental policy targets. There must be sufficient scope for future investments. However, there is also an urgent need for improvement from the point of view of democratic policy.

In March 2023, the EU Commission proposed a package of measures on critical raw materials. The aim is to secure supplies in the future. As the EU is heavily dependent on imports in this area, strategic risks along the value chain are to be reduced. The EU Commission assumes strong increases in consumption. A current AK EUROPA position paper demands that more attention has to be paid to the consequences of massive encroachments on nature and negative impacts on the local population.

Together with civil society organisations and trade unions, in this open letter AK EUROPA points out elements that are essential to make the proposed Forced Labour Regulation efficient, implementable and above all, impactful to address forced labour meaningfully. Those elements need to include, amongst others, remedies for all workers, protection for complainants and lower evidentiary standards.

Spain has taken over the EU Council Presidency for the coming six months. Under the motto "Europe, closer", Spain is presenting a programme that attempts to find committed European solutions to common problems. Before the approaching elections to the EU Parliament, Spain thus holds the last full EU Council Presidency in this legislative period. This is a strategically important phase to finalise legal acts that are still being negotiated.

In the course of the strategic foresight, the EU Commission annually tries to identify the challenges of the EU’s future and to anticipate them in political present day measures. This year, the focus is on sustainability and well-being and thus on the question of which strategic decisions need to be taken today in order to create a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable EU in the future. Not only can future expectations determine policy today, but policy today also determines the future situation, not least of workers.

The development of European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) is an important step in the realignment of sustainability reporting. The EU Commission recently presented a draft delegated act for these standards. A significant reduction is envisaged in the disclosure obligations of companies in the areas of environment, social affairs and governance. If adopted in this form, it would represent a significant deterioration compared to the Sustainability Reporting Directive, which has just come into force.