On December 5th 2024, FIEC’s General Assembly took place in Brusssels, with an open discussion on “Housing”, an issue of particular concern to the Federation and its member associations.
FIEC’s Presiδent, mr. Piero Petrucco, coordinated the discussion with guest speakers, the European’s Investement Bank Head of Division on Global Affairs and Sectoral Policies mrs. Luciana Tomozei Schwandt and the European’s Commision Team Leader in the “Building Team” (DG ENER), mr. Pau Garcia Audi. Of equal importance was the intervention of FIEC’s EU Director of Social Affairs mrs. Christine Le Forestier, who contributed to the discussion with the presentation of the Federation’s core messages on the European Union’s upcoming “housing” policies.
Among the key debated items:
- The current challenges and possible solutions regarding the affordability of housing
- The contribution of innovation in the Construction Sector, in terms of cost reduction, speeding up of processes as well as boosting productivity
- The importance of sustainability for achieving energy efficiency
- The strengthening of EU financial instruments, in order to mobilise private sector investment and support the sector’s energy efficiency
- The contribution of grants and finance to reducing risk and attracting private investment
- The realisation of a pan-European investment platform for affordable housing.
FIEC’s proposed solutions to address the housing challenges focused on: a coordinated approach to reforms, simplification of the working environment, promotion of digitalisation, enhancement of the Construction Sector’s attractiveness in order to address the challenges of labour and skills shortages, the availability of EU financial support and finally the strengthening of fiscal support.
From the Greek side, the General Assembly was attended by the President of PEDMEDE , Mr. Konstantinos Goliopoulos and the General Manager Ms. Eleni Papagianni, with the online particiaption of the President of the Department of Companies Dr. Antonis Panas and the President of the Boeotia Regional Department, Mr. Thomas Panourgias. The proceedings of the General Assembly were concluded with the presentation, from the Greek side , of the programme of the General Assembly and the FIEC Conference, that will take place in May 2025 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, in Athens.
