Construction social partners publish joint statement on COVID-19 crisis

Today, FIEC and EFBWW, the European social partners of the construction industry, released joint recommendations addressed to national social partners, national authorities and the EU institutions.In particular, FIEC and EFBWW call on national social partners to negotiate practical solutions with their national authorities in order to allow the continuation of construction activities in compliance with national specific H&S measures, keeping the health and safety of the workers as the highest priority.

This also includes allowing posted workers to cross borders, in line with the Commission’s guidelines on free mobility under COVID-19 circumstances.

In case activities cannot continue, FIEC and EFBWW also recommend best practice from public authorities to make sure that construction companies and their workers can economically and financially cope with the current crisis.

 

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COVID-19: 2nd video conference with Commissioner Breton

On 20 April Commissioner Breton, responsible for the Internal Market, organised a second video conference with 6 key representatives of the construction sector. Our President elect Thomas Bauer and Vice-President Piero Petrucco participated on behalf of FIEC.The aim of these video conferences is to regularly follow-up the developments and impact of the COVID-19 crisis on our industry and to identify the measures and possible areas of intervention. The focus is both on short time measures, as well as on initiatives for ensuring a quick recovery.

Commissioner Breton asked to continue these direct contacts every 2 weeks. This is an extremely positive sign in terms of recognition by the Commission, of the key role that the construction industry is playing in the EU economy, as well as of FIEC as one of the main representative organisations.

COUNCIL adopts taxonomy Regulation

On 15 April, the Council of the EU adopted the Regulation putting in place taxonomy, providing investors and businesses with a common language in order to identify environmentally sustainable activities. Now, it is up to the European Parliament to officially adopt the Regulation before it can be published in the Official Journal of the EU and enter into force.Taxonomy as such will be set out by delegated acts. The first series of delegated acts regarding climate change mitigation and adaptation will be established by the end of this year and applied by end of 2021.

 

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Tachograph – COUNCIL adopts reform

On 7th April, the COUNCIL finally adopted, by written procedure, the “Mobility Package I”, which includes the revised versions of the “Driving times” and “Tachograph” Regulations. This is good news as several Member States were reluctent to confirm the political agreement which had been reached last December.

With this reform, the burden of installation of tachographs on board light commercial vehicles used by construction companies, as well as heavier construction trucks, will be alleviated.

It is now up to Parliament to decide. A first vote will take place, according to a provisional timetable, in June in the Transport Committee (TRAN) and then in July in plenary session. The new regulations will come into force 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

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Workshop replaced by webinars

The workshop on the re-use of steel framed buildings, which was due to take place on 12 May, has been replaced by a series of webinars on the following dates:

07 May 2020
14 May 2020
21 May 2020
28 May 2020

Timing: 1100-1230 BST
(1200-1330 CEST) (1300-1430 EEST)

PROGRESS is a collaborative EU-funded project with the aim of facilitating and promoting the reuse of steel-framed buildings to support the transformation to a more resource-efficient economy.

Registration information can be found on the link below.

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