2. Points out the fact that the environmental services sector has shown strong resilience even in the years of the economic crisis, and stresses that a well-developed circular economy has the potential to generate millions of new non-relocatable jobs across Europe requiring different levels of skills, while respecting workers’ rights and collective agreements; points out that in order to achieve its full potential, this requires a shift in societal understanding as regards the crucial importance of resource efficiency; stresses that ...[+++] governments need to ensure a coherent and integrated policy approach to support this change, and that opportunities to acquire the new skills needed for the circular economy should be created;

D. whereas work is one of the main sources of human self-realisation, through which individuals make a supportive contribution to collective wellbeing;

21. Recognises the potential role of the intellectual property and patent system in promoting innovation, transfer and dissemination of technology to the mutual advantage of stakeholders, providers, holders and users of genetic resources, their derivatives, and of associated traditional knowledge in a manner conducive to welfare and development, while emphasising the necessity of preventing the adverse effects of the IPR and patent system on indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ application of traditional knowledge, their laws, practices and knowledge system and their ability to use, develop, create and protect their knowledge in relation to genetic resources; points out that, under certain circumstances, contracts between the parties ...[+++] may be identified by indigenous peoples or local communities as a more feasible solution to share benefits and to protect their interests while preserving the environment and preventing social and economic harm, e.g. by means of safeguard clauses;

5. Recognises the potential role of the intellectual property and patent system in promoting innovation, transfer and dissemination of technology to the mutual advantage of stakeholders, providers, holders and users of genetic resources, their derivatives, and of associated traditional knowledge in a manner conducive to welfare and development, while emphasising the necessity of preventing the adverse effects of the IPR and patent system on indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ application of traditional knowledge, their laws, practices and knowledge system and their ability to use, develop, create and protect their knowledge in relation to genetic resources; reiterates that, against the background of its recent resolution on the pate ...[+++]nting of essentially biological processes, especially in the area of breeding, excessively broad patent protection can hamper innovation and progress and become detrimental to small and medium breeders by blocking access to animal and plant genetic resources; points out that, under certain circumstances, contracts between the parties may be identified by indigenous peoples or local communities as a more feasible solution to share benefits and to protect their interests while preserving the environment and preventing social and economic harm, e.g. by means of safeguard clauses;

An increase in national revenue does not necessarily lead to an increase in collective wellbeing.

The results show that carrying out the projects identified by the Group, combined with several of the measures under the Common Transport Policy, such as charging for the use of infrastructure and opening up rail freight to competition, would produce significant benefits in terms of time savings, lower emissions and less congestion, better access to peripheral Member States and to the new Member States, and greater general well-being.