Under the joint chairmanship of Ms Liina CARR, Chairperson of the EESC delegation to the EEA CC, and Mr Guðlaugur STEFÁNSSON, Vice-Chair of the EFTA CC, the EEA CC adopted unanimously 2 resolutions on the following topics:

An ambitious transport policy for Europe

Co-rapporteurs:      Ms Vladimíra DRBALOVÁ (European Economic and Social Committee, Czech Republic/Group I – Employers)

                              Ms Wenche PAULSRUD (EFTA Consultative Committee, Norway/Trade Unions)

In its resolution the EEA CC underlined the importance of a balance between economic, social and environmental policies and a stronger synergy between transport policy and other policy initiatives to fully realise the potential of the transport sector and the internal market. The Committee also welcomed initiatives taken in recent years to improve transport safety, passengers’ rights, and, as a direct consequence of increased terrorist threats, transport security. Moreover, the EEA CC expressed its concern about the transport sector being by far the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, and urged the relevant EEA authorities to work together with the transport sector to develop rigorous and cost-effective measures to help Europe meet its ambitious emission reduction targets, including increased incentives and investments in greener modes of transport. The Committee also expressed its strong concern about the lack of skilled workers in the transport sector and concluded that if action was not taken, driver shortage could lead to an increasing inability to deliver products in time and would have a negative impact on supply chain performance.

Lifelong learning: a key component for growth and jobs

Co-rapporteurs:      Mr Sandy BOYLE (European Economic and Social Committee, United Kingdom/Group II – Trade Unions)

                              Ms Bente STENBERG-NILSEN (EFTA Consultative Committee, Norway/Employers)

In the resolution the EEA CC highlighted the positive correlation between participation in lifelong learning and employment growth and welcomed the political agreement by EU leaders on common principles on “flexicurity”, of which lifelong learning is a key component,  to help Member States develop integrated strategies to enhance flexibility and security in the labour market. At the same time the Committee warned that “flexicurity”-oriented strategies would only be successful if a genuine balance was found between the flexibility and security elements. Furthermore, the Committee urged public authorities and social partner organisations to see investments in human capital as a shared responsibility and to work together to support individuals to play a key role  in the development of their own training and careers and to encourage employers to invest in their employees. In conclusion, the Committee called on the EEA Council to put lifelong learning and labour market policies on its agenda and to focus on how the EEA cooperation could be further strengthened in the field of education and training.

In addition to the debates on the two resolutions, the Committee discussed labour migration and the latest EU “Blue Card” proposal.

Ms Elisabeth WALAAS, Norwegian State Secretary of Foreign Affairs, addressed the EEA CC on latest developments in the high north and commented on what the Norwegian government is doing together with its neighbours to respond to the environmental, political and economic challenges in the region.

Mr Matthias BRINKMANN, Head of Unit, European Commission, representing the President-in-office of the EEA Joint Committee, and with Ms Elisabeth WALAAS, Norwegian State Secretary of Foreign Affairs, representing the Norwegian Presidency of the EEA EFTA States, briefed the EEA CC on the functioning and developments of the EEA Agreement and exchanged views with the Committee members.

Social Partners from Switzerland attended the meeting as observers.

The next EEA CC meeting is scheduled to take place in spring 2009.

The adopted resolutions can be found here.

The meeting was held in Longyearbyen, Norway

For further information, please contact:

EFTA Consultative Committee

Ms Margrethe Saxegaard

tel: +32-2-286 17 23

msa@efta.int

European Economic and Social Committee

Mr Raffaele del Fiore

tel: +32-2-546 97 94

raffaele.delfiore@eesc.europa.eu