Σεπ142021

The construction sector is critical to recovery and to the achievement of the ambitious EU environmental priorities such as the EU Green Deal or the Fit for 55 Package. In this respect the EU Commission is launching plenty of initiatives and in order to make them successful it needs to rely on the appropriate stakeholders. Via its wide-ranging representativeness FIEC is THE key partner representing the construction industry at European level. Our video says it all.

#StrongerTogether #Recovery #Growth #Jobs

Joint FIEC-WGBC webinar on EU Taxonomy

 

On 9 September, FIEC and the World Green Building Council (WGBC) hosted a webinar dedicated to the future Taxonomy criteria for construction activities. Speakers encouraged more than 100 participants to participate in the ongoing public consultation and submit their comments to strengthen the draft criteria. Pekka Vuorinen, FIEC’s Permanent Representative in the Platform on Sustainable Finance, presented how civil engineering can contribute to a more circular economy and stressed the value of maintenance of infrastructure: “Civil engineering objects should last forever. This is why we included maintenance. Maintenance as such contributes to a circular economy.”

 

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“They are not bidding anymore if there are Chinese contractors competing for the same project.” German TV is taking up China’s growing influence on the European construction market. Have a look and learn more about the construction of a university campus in Budapest and the construction of the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia.

Higher heating bills under widened ETS will be unpopular

The European Commission is bracing itself for a winter of discontent as citizens start to feel the impact of higher energy prices even before the scope of the Emissions Trading Scheme extends to include buildings. As the Fit for 55 package is debated this morning in the European Parliament Plenary, policy makers are concerned that citizens may take to the streets to express their anger at more expensive energy bills.  This is where the dream of a zero carbon economy will start to meet the tricky trade off regarding who pays and this will be a test of resolve for the Parliament as well. FIEC’s sub-commission dealing with Fit for 55 will also meet today to assess the impact of the package on the construction industry.

 

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EPBD revision – call for a European skills initiative

In anticipation of the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the European Parliament is preparing an own-initiative report calling for a strengthening of requirements to achieve climate neutrality. This draft report reiterates its call for a European skills initiative that enables intermediaries such as installers, architects or contractors to advise, prescribe or install relevant solutions for energy efficiency programmes and a decarbonised building stock. It also highlights that ambitious goals for staged and deep renovation of the existing building stock will create millions of jobs, in particular in SMEs.
On a similar topic, the proposal of the European Commission for a revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive calls on all Member States to ensure aadequate skills for energy efficiency professions (including installers of building elements) that correspond to market needs through certification and/or equivalent qualification schemes, including, where necessary, suitable training programmes.

 

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