Abolishing roaming charges across the EU was arguably a milestone decision by Brussels, heralding more affordable mobile phone calls and internet usage to millions of European travellers.
Many were keen to jump onto the bandwagon of this success story, but one European entity prides itself on setting the ball rolling to raise awareness and lobby in favour of ditching roaming charges. That is the European Economic and Social Committee. In layman's terms, it brings together social partner representatives at the EU level.
Next in line after the roaming charges is so-called “planned obsolescence”, that is, products purposely designed to fail after a period of time to hook consumers, leaving them with no option but to buy a replacement.
It guarantees that consumers will demand replacements in the future, thus supporting a constant demand. In some instances, this can even motivate multiple sales of the same object to the same consumer.
Obsolescence can be achieved through the introduction of a superior replacement, a design meant to cease proper function within a specific window or by cultivating the desirability of new versions. Smartphones currently top the list of devices with the shortest lifetime.
The planned initiative has an environmental aspect, as it would decrease the volume of IT waste.
In 2013, the EESC set the ball rolling through an opinion on the matter, which was followed by a second opinion a year later.
Momentum behind this initiative increased, and last July, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for tangible measures to make it easier to repair products and to make spare parts more affordable.
Next in line after roaming charges is so-called ‘planned obsolescence’
The issue has also found itself on the political agenda of the European Commission.
From a wider perspective, EESC vice president for communications Goncalo Lobo Xavier claims that up to 70 per cent of their recommendations have some form of impact on the EU’s policymaking process.
The committee has just held a two-day seminar in Brussels for journalists aimed at giving more visibility to its work.
It is more than obvious that many perceive the committee as the EU talking shop, having little or no influence on the decision-making process.
“Communicating consensus is not sexy for newspapers. That could be the reason for the low visibility of our work,” Mr Lobo Xavier remarked when opening the seminar.
Set up in 1958 as an advisory body to EU decision makers, the EESC, which comprises 350 representatives, is an EU-wide forum incorporating civil society representatives from the 28 Member States.
Its members represent employers, workers and various interest groups. Malta, Cyprus and Luxembourg have five representatives each.
Unlike most EU institutions, EESC members are not politicians. Mr Lobo Xavier noted that the only measure of the committee’s success in influencing policies were references to its reports by the Commission and the European Parliament. Nonetheless, he admitted that few MEPs delved into detail when receiving the committee’s opinions.
“Ninety-nine per cent of them read the first page only, which is unfair. Most of the time we need to call the MEPs’ assistants urging them to read at least the first page of the document that comprises recommendations and conclusions,” he said.
Looking ahead, there is a resolve to focus more on issues like good governance, the rule of law, democracy and human rights.
German trade unionist and European Economic and Social Committee workers’ group president Gabriele Bischoff is among those strongly advocating this approach. “We cannot keep emphasising that Europe is about values and rights and then not do anything when certain situations in Member States arise,” she said.
“Otherwise, what credibility does the EU have?”
The gauntlet has been thrown down. It is now up to the Brussels top brass to rise to the challenge and show that the lessons of Brexit have been learnt.
Keith Micallef was among the journalists who attended the two-day information seminar sponsored by the EESC.