EUROPA - EU law and publications - EUR-Lex - EUR-Lex - 52017AE3627 - EN - Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a renewed EU agenda for higher education (COM(2017) 247 final) — Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee ...[+++] and the Committee of the Regions on school development and excellent teaching for a great start in life (COM(2017) 248 final)

15. Welcomes the overall progress in the field of refugee return and is pleased to note that public hostility towards returning Serbs has diminished in most of the country; notes, however, that problems still remain for refugees and returnees and therefore calls on the Croatian authorities to facilitate the reintegration of returnees by further removing obstacles to obtaining permanent residence status, by adequately financing and accelerating the programme of house reconstruction and by launching social and economic recovery projects; calls on the Croatian authorities to resolutely address the remaining applications, prioritise the re ...[+++]view of appeals and pursue efforts to revitalise the economies of disadvantaged areas affected by the war, to further improve the sustainability of returns and to continue fostering inter-ethnic reconciliation in a climate of ethnic tolerance and embrace of ethnic and cultural diversity;

16. Welcomes the overall progress in the field of refugee return and is pleased to note that public hostility towards returning Serbs has diminished in most of the country; notes, however, that problems still remain for refugees and returnees and therefore calls on the Croatian authorities to facilitate the reintegration of returnees by further removing obstacles to obtaining permanent residence status, by adequately financing and accelerating the programme of house reconstruction and by launching social and economic recovery projects; calls on the Croatian authorities to resolutely address the remaining applications, prioritise the re ...[+++]view of appeals and pursue efforts to revitalise the economies of disadvantaged areas affected by the war, to further improve the sustainability of returns and to continue fostering inter-ethnic reconciliation in a climate of ethnic tolerance and embrace of ethnic and cultural diversity;

16. Welcomes the overall progress in the field of refugee return and is pleased to note that public hostility towards returning Serbs has diminished in most of the country; notes, however, that problems still remain for refugees and returnees and therefore calls on the Croatian authorities to facilitate the reintegration of returnees by further removing obstacles to obtaining permanent residence status, by adequately financing and accelerating the programme of house reconstruction and by launching social and economic recovery projects; calls on the Croatian authorities to resolutely address the remaining applications, prioritise the re ...[+++]view of appeals and pursue efforts to revitalise the economies of disadvantaged areas affected by the war, to further improve the sustainability of returns and to continue fostering inter-ethnic reconciliation in a climate of ethnic tolerance and embrace of ethnic and cultural diversity;

In the period 2000-2006, Objective 2, which related to support for the economic and social conversion of areas lagging behind in their development, was aimed at 15.2% of Europeans (around 69.8 million inhabitants lived in Objective 2 areas).

The next challenge is economic and social revival, promoted through fundamental social reforms such as free schooling or health insurance for all citizens.