Νοέ292023

EU Taxonomy: new technical criteria published in the EU Official Journal

On 21 November, the new technical screening criteria for the objective “Transition to a circular economy” under the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities were published in the Official Journal of the EU.The so-called “Environmental Delegated Act” will come into force on 11 December and apply as of 1 January 2024. It contains technical criteria for the following activities related to “construction and real estate”:

  1. Construction of new buildings
  2. Renovation of existing buildings
  3. Demolition or wrecking of buildings and other structures
  4. Maintenance of roads and motorways
  5. Use of concrete in civil engineering.
Targeted amendments to the existing “Climate Delegated Act” were also published in the Official Journal.On 27 November, FIEC reacted to the completion of the EU taxonomy framework. FIEC shared 5 key messages with the European Commission:

  1. The EU taxonomy should undergo a constant “reality check” and the criteria should be fine-tuned as the experience of building contractors in applying the criteria progresses;
  2. A regular exchange between FIEC, financial stakeholders and EU institutions should be reestablished and banks should not apply a too narrow reading of companies’ efforts to become taxonomy-compliant;
  3. As many as grey areas as possible should be removed from the Regulations to avoid misinterpretation of the criteria;
  4. The whole framework should be made more “SME-friendly”; and
  5. More sector- and country-specific user guides should be published by the European Commission.
You can read and download FIEC’s Press Release at this link.

UN Emissions Gap Report 2023: Building sector must do more to curb emissions

In its latest Emissions Gap Report, published ahead of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Nations call on the building sector to do more to curb emissions.“Industry is the second largest sector (after energy supply) when accounting by direct emissions (14.4 GtCO2e = gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, 25% of the total), followed by agriculture and LULUCF CO2 (10.3 GtCO2e, 18%), transport (8.1 GtCO2e, 14%) and buildings (3.8 GtCO2e, 6.7%).

However, if power sector emissions are reallocated to final sectors based on their use of electricity and heat (…), then the contribution of the industry and buildings sectors increase significantly (to 34 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively)”, the report reads.

The report also informs that the world would face between 2.5C and 2.9C  of warming above preindustrial levels if governments do not boost climate action. At 3C of warming, scientists predict the world could pass several catastrophic points of no return.

 

   UN REPORT 2023  

EU Housing Crisis:
Member States publish “Gijón Declaration”

On 14 November, the 27 EU Ministers for Housing and Urban Development published a joint statement on “Housing for all in sustainable, healthy, and inclusive built environments”.The declaration reads that “Persistently high house prices, together with an increasing lack of affordable housing supply, are preventing European citizens from accessing housing. These difficulties gravely affect lower and middle-income households, young people, and vulnerable groups such as the elderly or people with disabilities, many of whom are deprived of the chance to access decent housing“.

Against this background, the EU Ministers called for new urban and housing development policies that can tackle supply challenges, especially in urban areas: “We consider it relevant to continue supporting the residential construction industry at all decision-making levels, as a strategic sector in the reactivation of the economy and job creation” – the declaration reads.

Finally, the Ministers stressed “the importance of improving the condition of existing housing stock, aiming a life cycle approach, confronting challenges such as (…) sustainability, considering residential buildings are responsible for a significant part of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union“.

 

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European Commission published Talent Mobility Package

On 15 November, the European Commission published its Talent Mobility Package, a key element of the European Year of Skills.
With this package, the European Commission presents several initiatives to tackle labour and skills shortages and attract workers from outside the EU.The package is composed of a Recommendation on the recognition of qualifications of third-country nationals, a Communication on Skills and Talent Mobility, a proposal for a Council Recommendation on learning mobility, and finally, of a legislative proposal for a Regulation establishing an EU Talent Pool.

The European Commission proposes the EU Talent Pool to be an online platform to facilitate the recruitment of workers from third countries. It will be voluntary for Member States to participate in the platform, and it will target first EU-wide shortage occupations, including several in the construction industry (carpenters, roofers, bricklayers…).

 

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MOBICCON-PRO project: 2nd General Assembly

On 21-22 November, the partners of project MOBICCON-PRO, funded under Horizon Europe, gathered in Copenhagen at the Danish Technological Institute for the second General Meeting.

Over the two days, the partners have visited a selective demolition site and discussed the progress made by the project during the first year. Discussions took place on implementation of innovative digital technologies within the pre-demolition process of buildings, the Territorial Circular Center opened in Sofia, the new products from recycled construction demolition waste (CDW) and a mobile pilot plant to be opened in the outskirts of Sofia.

The consortium also took time to review the next steps including a demonstration of the CDW management process, the training for the industry and communication activities.

 

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FIEC-EIC Key Message on CSDDD Trilogue and the Construction sector

On 22 November, FIEC and EIC published their Key Message on the categorisation of construction as ‘high impact sector’ in the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

Both FIEC and EIC consider that construction, by nature, is not a ‘high impact’ sector, and therefore reject a corresponding categorisation as it would put a disproportional burden and costs on a huge number of construction SMEs, even if they are active exclusively within the European Union.

 

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