FIEC President at EBC conference: Ensuring Public Procurement works for all business sizes
On 11 June 2025, FIEC President, Piero Petrucco, took part in a high-level panel discussion at the Annual Conference of the European Builders Confederation (EBC). The session explored how public procurement can be reformed to better facilitate the access of small contractors, artisans, and craft businesses.
Mr Petrucco was joined by a distinguished panel including Philip van Nieuwenhuizen, President of EBC, Jean-Yves Muylle, Head of Unit at the European Commission’s DG GROW, and Sara Funaro, Mayor of Florence and Executive Committee Member of Eurocities.
A balanced approach to procurement reform
President Petrucco highlighted the need to reduce administrative burdens, ensure proportional selection criteria, and better promote tools like the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) and joint bidding mechanisms. He also emphasised that subcontracting and contract splitting should remain flexible tools, not rigid obligations — especially in the context of growing skills shortages and complex infrastructure needs.
Safeguarding quality and fair competition
Mr Petrucco reiterated FIEC’s support for a more value-driven procurement model, encouraging the use of qualitative criteria (such as sustainability and innovation) while warning against the risk of distorted competition from unfair third-country practices and the misuse of in-house awards.
Working towards inclusive and sustainable markets
The panel offered a constructive dialogue on how EU procurement rules can better serve a diverse business landscape. FIEC remains committed to promoting a fair, strategic, and inclusive procurement framework, ensuring that companies of all sizes can contribute to building a more sustainable and resilient Europe.
FIEC speaks at Concrete Europe conference on affordable housing
On 12 June, the Chair of FIEC Working Group “Housing”, Joël Schons, intervened in a roundtable on affordable housing organised by Concrete Europe.
During the lively exchanges, Schons pointed out that the digitalisation of the construction industry is the first key to increasing productivity and hence, housing supply. This includes a shift to full digitalisation of building permits as well. He added that the EU shall absolutely refrain from regulating more and take a neutral approach to construction materials and methods. Questioned on the financial aspect of the matter, Schons insisted that private money shall be activated via the multiplier effect of public/EU money. He added that the EU should look at current prudential rules which have the detrimental effect to consider housing projects as risky projects. It is consequently very difficult for developers and construction companies to get loans from banks.
On his side, Philippe Moseley, member of the Cabinet of EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, recalled that the European Commission’s goal, in cooperation with the European Parliament, is to support Member States to act at their national level, including with the implementation of housing-related EU policies, with a view of achieving affordable, sustainable and decent housing – both new and renovated.
He announced that a broad public consultation will start towards the end of June.
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FIEC takes position on E-declaration for Posting of Workers
Earlier this month, FIEC adopted a position on the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on a public interface connected to the IMI (International Market Information) for the Declaration of Posting of Workers (COM(2024)531), also known as “E-declaration”.
In this position, FIEC focuses on four aspects of the proposal. First, in general terms, FIEC supports the digitalisation of administrative processes and procedures in order to reduce construction companies’ administrative burden. Second, regarding the voluntary nature of the proposed scheme, FIEC considers that it is good that those Member States that wish to can keep their own well-developed and effective national system. Third, concerning the content of the standard form to be used on the interface, FIEC advocates that this list should be a minimum and non-exhaustive, including some mandatory information requirements, while allowing Member States to independently add information requirements necessary for effective monitoring and enforcement.
Last but not least, FIEC stresses that it is important to ensure coherency among the “E-declaration” and sectorial social ID cards, as well as the various ongoing digitalisation initiatives of the European Commission, in particular EESSI (Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information) and ESSPASS (European Social Security Pass).
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SIDE CIC project: Final Conference, 10 June
On 10 June, FIEC and EFBWW held the final conference of the SIDE-CIC project in Brussels. Since its launch two years ago, the SIDE-CIC project co-funded by the EU has mapped existing national social-ID card schemes and assessed the technical and legal challenges to interoperability. The project builds on prior work by the social partners and reflects their strong commitment to improving transparency, compliance, and worker rights in a highly mobile industry.
During the event, the main findings of the mapping exercise and the results of the legal and technical feasibility studies were presented, which examined different scenarios for ensuring interoperability of social ID cards across Member States.
In his closing remarks, Laurentiu Plosceanu, FIEC Vice-President for Communication & Enlargement, highlighted the project’s success and the value of social dialogue: “We now have a clear overview of national systems, and the feasibility studies offer a solid basis for discussing future options. This project is a concrete example of how sectoral social dialogue can deliver forward-looking, practical outcomes that support fair mobility and enforcement across the EU.”
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9 July, Rome – “The Green Reconstruction of Ukraine”: URC 2025 side event
On 9 July, in Rome, FIEC will co-organise a high-level side event in the framework of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, together with ANCE (Italian member of FIEC, Associazione Nazionale Costruttoti Edili), EIC (European International Contractors), CBU (Ukrainian member of FIEC, Confederation of Builders of Ukraine), and in cooperation with Neo-Eco Ukraine. The event will take place at ANCE headquarters. The aim is to highlight how sustainable construction practices are already shaping Ukraine’s recovery – and how public and private actors can work together to accelerate this transformation.
Entitled “The Green Reconstruction of Ukraine: Challenges, Opportunities and Case Studies”, this session will bring together EU and Ukrainian representatives, project developers and international partners to address one of the most urgent and strategic dimensions of Ukraine’s recovery: how to make it green, sustainable and inclusive.
The event will feature:
• Keynote contributions from representatives of the European Commission and Ukrainian institutions
• Case studies from ongoing and completed green recovery projects in Ukraine, including EU-funded actions
• Spotlight on eco-materials: a dedicated panel moderated by Neo-Eco Ukraine will bring together companies and experts such as Matek, House Beton, Ukrainian Hemp, Moelven, Clean Cement and VITO
• Perspectives from municipalities, civil society and international contractors
On the importance of this side event
Ukraine’s reconstruction is not only a matter of rebuilding infrastructure – it is a unique opportunity to foster innovation, sustainability and economic resilience. The construction sector plays a pivotal role in delivering long-term solutions that combine energy efficiency, affordability, and green materials.
This side event will offer a platform for collaborative dialogue between EU stakeholders and Ukrainian actors, encouraging synergies between local initiatives and international best practices.
Simultaneous interpretation in Ukrainian and English will be provided.
Read or download most updated programme via this link.
For further information, please contact FIEC.
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