Μαρ162021

Huge support in Parliament for Doleschal’s report on Construction Products Regulation

“Harmonised European standards are the backbone of the internal market: they promote competition and catalyse innovation. Nevertheless, there has been a considerable backlog of standards for construction products for years. We need long-term and short-term solutions to clear this standards backlog.” Christian Doleschal MEP’s comments, after his report on the Construction Products Regulation receives resounding support during the vote in the European Parliament, entirely reflect FIEC’s position on the Regulation 305/2011, which will be revised later this year. He also talks about the need to future-proof the Regulation, making it fit for digitalisation and sustainability.  The full press release can be found by clicking the link below.

 

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Commissioner Schmit presents Action Plan for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

On 4th March, the European Commission published its Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. It sets out both legislative and non-legislative actions over the next 4 years.The Action Plan is articulated around 3 targets to be achieved by 2030 in the areas of employment, skills and social protection:

  • At least 78% of the population aged 20 to 64 should be in employment by 2030;
  • At least 60% of all adults should participate in training every year by 2030;
  • The number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion should be reduced by at least 15 million by 2030.

Amongst other things, the European Comission confirms several initiatives already known: minimum wage, platform workers, collective bargaining for self-employed, individual learning accounts, new EU strategy on occupational health & safety…

And a few more are announced: report on the implementation of the working time directive, legal proposal on asbestos, evaluation of the performance of the European Labour Authority, pilot project for a European Social Security Pass, support to social dialogue at EU and national level…

The European Commission also presented specific recommendations for “Effective Active Support to Employment” (EASE) which promote job creation and job-to-job transitions from declining sectors towards expanding sectors, notably the digital and green ones.

FIEC will keep a close look at the various initiatives on the table!

 

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Still time to comment on the Reference Architecture Framework for DigiPLACE

Readers are invited to help shape the final outcome of the DigiPLACE project, by commenting on the possible implementing scenarios for the Reference Architecture Framework.  The project, which ends in May 2021, aims to create a framework for an eventual digital platform for the construction industry at EU level, which would, amongst other things, serve as a hub for existing digital platforms, both public and private.  The survey closes on Friday 19 March and it can be accessed by following the link below.

 

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Agreement on Connecting Europe Facility

On 10 March, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, reached an agreement on the future Connecting Europe Facility – an instrument to fund key infrastructure projects in the areas of transport, digital and energy. It will run from 2021 to 2027, with an overall budget of €33.71 billion.

The recent agreement should make it possible to launch the first calls for grants before the summer.

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