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The Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands is a firm advocate of a robust energy policy that focuses on achieving a reliable, clean and affordable supply ofenergy. The report looks closely at the energy transition policy introduced in the Netherlands in2001.The Council supports the key points of this policy. The transition to a sustainable supply of energy will take many decades and requires the relevant policy to be consistent over time. In order for the transition to be effective, it will also require better targeting ofsuch policy, with the government and the business community making the necessary major investments. Innovation will produce good opportunities for new forms ofeconomic activity and employment. The transition to a sustainable energy supply can only succeed if all the parties involved contribute actively to this process.

This report is the Council's response to a request for advice by the Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management.The Council defines mobility management as the entire complex of activities undertaken by government, employers associations and trade unions aimed, where possible and desirable, at encouraging employees in their choices when it comes to travel, the timing of their trips, and the mode of transport used. The Council's advice is concerned mainly with commuting patterns.

For the purpose of this opinion the materials and analyses presented through the Economic and Social Council of the republic of Bulgaria by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Agency of the Disabled People, the Bulgarian Association of the Companies for Supplementary Pension Insurance have been studied. The basic formulations of the Appeals of the European Commission, the opinions and reports of the High-level Groups /ministers of labour and ministers of finance and economy of the member-states/, of the European Councils /Barcelona, Lisbon, Goteborg and Laaken/ as well as the ones of the European Economic and Social Committee related to the problems and the vision for the social protection as a whole and the pension systems in particular, have been also taken into consideration.

The Economic and Social Council is of the opinion that the existing system for hearing and resolving labour disputes needs an immediate change. The immense delay in the hearing and resolution of cases and labour cases in particular makes pointless the judicial mechanism for protection and compensation of the breached rights of workers and employees because the effect sought with this protection is extremely belated. It turns so that when the court pronounces its final decision, it happens so late from the point in time when the labour dispute itself has arisen, that practically it is pointless, regardless of the fact that the decision might be in favour of the worker or employee. In this connection the ESC is of the opinion that it is crucial to establish safeguards and mechanisms for quick, competent, effective and fair resolution of labour disputes.That being the case, the key means to overcome the present situation should be to introduce fast and effective proceedings meaningfully balancing between the provisional and official principles and to preserve the procedural safeguards.

This draft law of the Ministry for the Economy and Finance effects changes to income tax for legal entities and amends the tax regime.

The Economic and Social Council, on taking into consideration the latent dissatisfaction of the population with the level of wages, pensions and protected payments, as well as the future convergence processes, now opens a discussion on the future income policy and its role in lowering the present poverty level and curbing the chances for a new poverty wave.<br>The present Position has been prepared on the basis of an in-depth analysis of the national income policy to date, and the results achieved. The analysis is also based on official information by NIS, MLSP, NII, Eurostat, as well as on the reports and analyses of the organisation represented on the Council.

The Economic and Social Council is of the opinion that the problems related to informal economy are important for society and have grave consequences for the political, social and economic development of the country. The economic activity based on non-acceptance of official rules, the emergence of new forms of business and social ties related thereto, on the one hand, and the too tight regulation and administration of business accompanied by lack of adequate public control, on the other, is a serious challenge for Bulgaria at the threshold of the European Union. Furthermore, in view of the emerging trend of criminalization in some cases, the informal economy could act as a factor which could strongly undermine the opportunities which this country will receive during the first years of its EU membership.

The ESC welcomes the text presented by the Government on transposing the European Parliament and Council Directive of 21 April 2004 on environmental liability with regard to prevention and repair of environmental damage.The opinion considers the Bill presented to be appropriate and underlines that it should be an essential instrument to reinforce compliance with article 45 of the Constitution on the rational use of natural resources and the obligation to repair the damage caused, regardless of the corresponding disciplinary or criminal penalties. This brings into effect two fundamental principles of community legislation on the environment: the principle of precaution and that of ?the polluter pays?.