FIEC Newsletter – 05 Δεκεμβρίου 2023

On 30 November, FIEC First Vice-President, Piero Petrucco, intervened in the “Clean Transition Dialogue on Energy Intensive Industries” with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Executive Vice-President Maros Šefčovič.The aim of this Dialogue was to exchange views on the opportunities offered by the green transition, to better understand the decarbonisation business case of energy intensive industries in Europe, to discuss the proposed policy and regulatory framework and to exchange ideas how to further accelerate and increase investment along entire value chains.

Piero Petrucco highlighted that “the new energy efficiency policies will make access to finance particularly important. For example, under the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, households should receive more financial support to renovate their homes”.

“Without adequate access to finance for EU citizens, construction companies will not be able to implement the Renovation Wave” added Petrucco.

The new EU Renewable Energy Directive came into force on 20 November. The revised directive introduces stricter measures to ensure the development and deployment of renewable energies and sets an overall EU renewable energy target of at least 42.5%, binding at EU level, by 2030.According to the newly introduced Article 15a, “Member States shall determine an indicative national share of renewable energy produced on-site or nearby as well as renewable energy taken from the grid in final energy consumption in their building sector in 2030 that is consistent with an indicative target of at least a 49% share of energy from renewable sources in the building sector in the Union’s final energy consumption in buildings in 2030″. 

There will be a 18-month period to transpose most of the directive provisions into the national law.

On 29 November, Angela Martina, Chairwoman of FIEC’s sub-commission on Vocational Education and Training (VET), represented FIEC in a webinar on “Apprenticeships in Construction: driving the green transition in the EU through the Renovation Wave” organised by the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA).
Angela Martina shared her experiences and gave concrete examples of the situation in Italy. She also addressed how apprenticeships can be a tool to tackle labour shortages and to enable the green and digital transition.Participants also discussed challenges such as the attractiveness of the sector, the need to develop mobility and the training of teachers.

On 29 November, FIEC Director General, Domenico Campogrande, intervened – together with its counterpart in the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue for the construction industry EFBWW (European Federation of Building and Wood Workers) – in the international workshop organised by the Belgian trade union ACV-CSC .The discussions focused on the fundamental requirements of an effective European policy in the context of the green and digital transitions and the role of Social Dialogue.

Domenico Campogrande underlined the opportunity provided by the green and digital transitions for improving the image and attractiveness of the construction sector, in particular towards young people and women.

He also highlighted the need for strengthening investments in training, upskilling and reskilling the workforce, as well as for a clear and stable legislative framework.