European Parliament holds first plenary
The European Parliament held its first plenary sessions in July in Strasbourg.On 18 July, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected President of the European Commission with 401 votes in favour, more than the required majority of 360 votes, and 284 votes against.
This will be von der Leyen’s second consecutive term as Commission President. She will now invite the Heads of State or Government of the Member States to put forward their candidates for the posts of European Commissioners. The EP will then organise hearings of the candidates in the relevant committees after the Summer.
On 19 July, the European Parliament announced (during its plenary) the names of the members who will sit on each of its committees and subcommittees in this 10th parliamentary term. The full list is available on the European Parliament’s website.
Meetings were held on 23 July to elect the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of each committee.
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The Council of the EU adopts its position on an EU Talent Pool
In June, the Member States agreed on a General approach on the proposal for a Regulation establishing an EU Talent Pool. The proposal was part of a package on Skills and Talent presented by the European Commission in November 2023. The EU Talent Pool aims to facilitate the recruitment of third-country jobseekers by European employers for shortage occupations (including many in the construction sector) through an online platform.The key elements of the Council of the EU’s position are as follows:
- The EU Talent Pool remains voluntary for Member States, but the Council of the EU introduces the possibility to opt out.
- Member States have decided to change the scope of application: the Regulation will not automatically apply to employers, but Member States participating in the EU Talent Pool will “indicate the types of entities that will be allowed to take part in the EU Talent Pool”.
- Regarding the job vacancies available on the platform, the European Commission’s proposal states that these will be those that fall within the list of shortage occupations (in Annex) and those relevant to the Talent Partnership. The Council of the EU also adds those that are relevant to the national frameworks on skill development and validation in a third country.
- The list of EU-wide shortage occupation can be updated every 6 months instead of once a year as initially proposed by the European Commission.
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Built4People Stakeholder Forum – 23 September, Luxembourg
The Built4People (B4P) Stakeholder Forum is back. The 2024 edition is taking place ‘live’ on 23 September at the European Convention Centre Luxembourg. The event is organised by the European Commission, the European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP, of which FIEC is an active member), and the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). The B4P stems from a European partnership in the framework of the Horizon Europe programme.You are invited to join (free attendance) this interesting thematic day dedicated to research and innovation. The Forum is launched in collaboration with the Sustainable Places 2024 initiative. Last year, the event welcomed nearly 110 attendees, and this year its promoters aim to surpass that number. Please help us spread the word by sharing the registration link with your colleagues and professional networks.
Stay tuned for more details by visiting the site via the below tab: you will soon find the published agenda there and the lineup of speakers, which will be announced very soon.
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CIF Annual Conference – 24 September, Dublin
We are pleased to bring you the latest updates for the CIF Annual Conference that will be held on 24 September at the Croke Park, Dublin.
CIF (Construction Industry Federation) is the FIEC’s Irish member. The online event agenda continues to evolve with new industry leaders joining CIF’s speaker lineup (click on the provided hyperinks to get more info and all details on how to register and attend the event).
The invited experts will be sharing their knowledge and insights at the conference and offering their perspectives on crucial industry topics.
Discussions will cover a broad spectrum of key issues and trends in the construction sector. Here is a snapshot of what you can look forward to:
- Government Initiatives: Supporting economic growth and sustainable development.
- Energy Efficiency: Innovations in low carbon utilities and infrastructure.
- Planning System Improvements: Streamlining processes for better housing and infrastructure delivery.
- Education and Training: Increasing pathways into the construction industry and fostering a diverse workforce.
- Sustainable Construction Practices: Exploring the latest techniques and technologies shaping the future.
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AI Act enters into force
The European Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) came into force on 1 August. The Regulation aims to create a harmonised internal market for AI in the EU, encouraging the uptake of this technology and creating a supportive environment for innovation and investment.The AI Act introduces a forward-looking definition of AI based on a product safety and risk-based approach in the EU. AI systems are classified as follows: minimal risk, specific transparency risk, high risk, unacceptable risk. Most AI systems do not face any obligations under the AI Act because they pose a minimal risk to the rights and safety of citizens. AI systems that are deemed to pose a clear threat to people’s fundamental rights will be placed in the ‘unacceptable risk’ category and banned.
To complement this system, the AI Act also introduces rules for so-called general-purpose AI models, which are powerful AI models designed to perform a wide range of tasks, such as generating human-like text.
The majority of rules of the AI Act will start applying on 2 August 2026. Member States have until 2 August 2025 to designate national competent authorities to oversee the application of the rules on AI systems and carry out market surveillance activities.
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‘WaterWiseEU’ campaign: latest updates and highlights
As Ambassador of the “Water Wise EU” ongoing campaign launched by the European Commission (DG EU Environment and Climate), FIEC is glad to share some of the latest campaign figures:So far, the campaign has reached more than 10 million people online and over 200 participants attended the thematic events europewide.
According to recent results of the Eurobarometer, 78% of Europeans consider that the EU should propose additional measures to address water-related problems in Europe
We are aligned with tackling these issues and with the need to understand how climate change modifies these impacts, considering the importance of developing advanced monitoring tools and methodologies to support effective management and policy-making.
Have a look at the results of Eurobarometer at this link.
Thank you for helping to boost this campaign!
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New Video of the Month: Reactions to our Construction Manifesto – EU Term 2024-2029
On our You Tube channel (link) and on our Website you can now find some first statements and feedback on the FIEC-EIC Construction Manifesto for Action – EU Term 2024-2029 “Building a resilient and sustainable Europe together“.
They all highlight the importance and the need to spread the 10 key messages of the Manifesto addressed to the new Members of the European Parliament as well as the other EU institutions and policy-makers.
In this video you will find short interviews with:
– Niko Demeester (EMBUILD Chief Executive Officer)
– Nina Kreutzman (EFBWW)
– Philippe Moseley (European Commission, DG GROW – Team Leader)
– Benoit Chauvin (EIC President)
– Maria-Angeles Asenjo (FIEC Vice-President)
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