The Brussels Office of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the Brussels Office of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB Europabüro) would like to cordially invite you to our joint webinar Reform of Fiscal Rules – Lessons learnt?

For the EU, combating climate change is one of the most important policy objectives. The state aid system contributes to achieving the ambitious energy and climate targets by 2030 and 2050 respectively. As this phase-out of fossil fuels strongly impacts society and economy it is necessary to consider the macroeconomic effects in detail. A fair competition is the prerequisite for ensuring a just distribution because climate and energy transition is not primarily a technical issue, but above all a social challenge.

A study, commissioned by AK EUROPA and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), deals with the involvement of social actors in the RRF. At an online event on 7 September 2021, the authors of the study presented their findings for the first time. The study concludes that, even though social actors are involved in the RRF process, their participation is running the risk of not having a substantial impact.

The digital arms race has already begun. Countries worldwide are actively investing to ensure that their industries are able to compete successfully on a global basis.

As a consequence of the major social transformation, digitalisation and decarbonisation, an active and strategic reorientation of European economic and industrial policy is necessary to meet the economic and social challenges associated with the transformation.
 

Responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Council decided to provide unprecedented financial support to member states to help them with the economic fall-out of the pandemic. The creation of a temporary institutional structure – the RRF – to support member states with loans and grants was agreed to in July 2020 and was formally established in February 2021. To access the RRF funds, member states need to submit detailed National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs).

AK EUROPA, the Brussels Office of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour, ÖGB Europabüro, the Brussels Office of the Austrian Trade Union Federation, ETUI, the European Trade Union Institute and OSE, the European Social Observatory, would like to cordially invite you to our joint webinar "The Recovery and Resilience Facility: have social actors been sidelined?" 

The targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 55 % below 1990 levels by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 have been enshrined in the European Climate Law. The Commission has now presented its “Fit for 55” package, outlining which concrete measures will be taken to accomplish these targets. Comprising of no fewer than eight Regulations, five Directives, two Communications and two Decisions, this package covers important sectors, which are needed to achieve climate neutrality.

On 1 July 2021, 130 OECD countries signed a declaration, in which they agreed on establishing a new framework for international tax reform for multinational companies.

On 1 July 2021, 130 countries agreed at OECD level to introduce a global minimum tax rate of 15 %. How this is technically possible at EU level and why this minimum tax rate has to become reality as soon as possible, was the subject of a webinar hosted by AK EUROPA and ÖGB Europabüro, which took place the same day the day agreement was reached.