Planned obsolescence is associated with a form of industrial production that relies on a minimum renewal rate for its products. Although product renewal is necessary, certain abuses need to be addressed.The EESC would like to see a total ban on products with built-in defects designed to end the...

Italy's problems are primarily structural; the current government is thus exploring more radical reform programmes, such as labour market reform and liberalisation. Compliance with the measures introduced towards achieving a balanced budget and reducing the public debt is a prerequisite to...

For the European institutions, the "Great Recession" officially began in March 2008, when the word "crisis" first appeared in the Conclusions of the European Council (European Council, March 2008). In the four years since then, the European response to that crisis has not always been the same; an...

The transition from a linear to a circular economic model is an essential contribution to the EU's efforts to develop a sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient, resilient and competitive economy. To accelerate the transition, the European Commission included in its 2015 EU Action Plan for...

Civil society plays a crucial role in societal and political development, creating the political and social space for collaborations that are based on the core values of trust, service and the collective good. The role of civil society organisations (CSOs) has evolved significantly and will...