Context and overall objectives
Labour shortages are an important issue that affects many countries across Europe, and there are several reasons why there is sufficient data to study these problems. The project will explore the issue of labour shortages in the construction, woodworking and furniture sectors. The main project coordinator is the European Federation of Building and Woodworking (EFBWW).
The general objective of the project will be the development of policy recommendations to address labour shortages in the wood, furniture and construction sectors, which will enable workers’ representatives to address labour shortage issues in the social dialogue on company, sectoral and European level.
An important pillar of the project methodology will be a research study, carried out by an external research institute. The study will investigate what the labour shortages across Europe are in woodworking, furniture, and construction sectors, and how these compare to the industry at large. Furthermore, reasons for the labour shortage in these sectors will be identified and analysed. Consequently, policy recommendations will be developed which directly aim at addressing labour shortages in the woodworking, furniture and construction sectors.
In a second step, the research results will be discussed with workers’ representatives affiliated to EFBWW in a training and information seminar. The seminar’s objective is to validate the draft policy recommendations.
The third and final step of the project will be a dissemination conference with a wider target audience, including workers’ organisations of EFBWW, employer organisations, European and national policymakers, and external experts. Its purpose will be to present and discuss the findings and the proposed measures and actions.
Work performed and main achievements
All project activities were successfully implemented and closely aligned with the project objectives, which were to:
- • Contribute data and analysis from the construction, woodworking, and furniture sectors to future studies and research;
- • Train and inform workers’ representatives about labour shortages in their sectors and the underlying causes;
- • Develop policy recommendations to address labour shortages in the woodworking, furniture, and construction sectors;
- • Enable workers’ representatives to address labour shortage issues through social dialogue at company, sectoral, national, and European levels.
The core activity of the project was a comprehensive research study involving data collection and analysis of labour shortages across Europe. The study included four case studies: Latvia (woodworking), France (woodworking), Sweden (woodworking), and Denmark (construction). In addition to the commissioned research, EFBWW created synergies with complementary work carried out by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) on the same topic. Within this framework, an ETUI researcher conducted a survey among EFBWW affiliates on labour shortages, resulting in a separate report that was subsequently published. The combination of both research streams provided a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of labour shortages in the construction and woodworking sectors. The findings demonstrate that labour shortages cannot be explained solely by demographic trends or skills gaps but are closely linked to structural factors such as working conditions, pay, access to training, career prospects, and the overall attractiveness of the sectors. These insights were essential for identifying appropriate and effective policy responses.
To support the research, a Project Steering Committee was established with representatives from EFBWW affiliates (Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden), research experts and the EFBWW project manager. The Steering Committee played an important role throughout the project by providing national data, literature, and sector-specific expertise from the case study countries. Members also facilitated access to stakeholders and supported the organisation of structured interviews conducted as part of the research.
Based on the research findings, EFBWW adopted at its mid-term conference in April 2026 a set of policy recommendations aimed at addressing labour shortages in the sectors concerned. The recommendations focused on six key policy areas:
• Improving data collection and monitoring;
• Raising wages and improving working conditions;
• Strengthening vocational education and training (VET);
• Reinforcing social dialogue and social partnership;
• Managing labour mobility and migration in a fair and sustainable manner;
• Improving the image and attractiveness of the sectors.
These policy recommendations were developed and discussed during a dedicated one-day workshop held on 11 September 2025. The workshop brought together 20 participants from 10 EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Spain, and Sweden). The research team presented the main findings of the study, which served as the basis for discussions and the formulation of policy recommendations.
At the final conference in November 2025 with around 50 participants from 20 countries the final research results were presented as well as the final draft policy recommendations. The participants were EFBWW executive committee members as well as EFBWW’s social partners from the woodworking and construction sector and guest speakers from the EU Commssion. In a panel with FIEC (construction) and CEI-Bois (woodworking) EFBWW discussed policies to tackle labour shortages in both sectors.
Results and impacts
Overall, the project successfully achieved its objectives by generating new evidence on labour shortages, strengthening the knowledge and capacity of workers’ representatives, fostering social dialogue, and developing concrete policy recommendations that will continue to support EFBWW’s advocacy work at European and national levels.
The research outcomes, policy recommendations, and exchanges within EFBWW and the Steering Committee significantly enhanced the federation’s capacity to contribute to European policy debates. The project provided evidence and expertise that informed EFBWW’s contributions to consultations on the EU Skills Portability Initiative, the EU VET Strategy, and the Construction Services Act in 2026.
The project generated impacts beyond its immediate objectives. Preliminary research findings contributed to the development of a joint declaration with the European construction employers’ organisation, FIEC, which was adopted in March 2025. This demonstrated the project's capacity to foster constructive dialogue between social partners and to build common positions on addressing labour and skills shortages in the construction sector.
In addition, the project created significant added value for other areas of EFBWW's policy and advocacy work. The findings informed discussions on the green and digital transitions, where the availability of a skilled workforce and the attractiveness of the construction and woodworking sectors are widely recognised as critical success factors. The project also contributed to EFBWW's work on European initiatives related to affordable housing, highlighting the importance of ensuring sufficient numbers of qualified workers to meet growing demand for housing construction and renovation.
The evidence generated by the project strengthened EFBWW's contributions to a range of European policy discussions and stakeholder forums. In particular, EFBWW drew on the project findings in exchanges with environmental NGOs on the social dimension of the green transition in December 2025, as well as in meetings of the High Level Construction Forum in March 2025 and May 2026. The project outcomes also informed EFBWW's participation in expert discussions and opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee concerning the European Strategy for Housing Construction during March and May 2026.
By linking labour shortages to broader European policy priorities such as the green transition, housing affordability, and skills development, the project enhanced the visibility and relevance of EFBWW's policy positions and strengthened its evidence-based advocacy at European level.
Throughout the project, EFBWW ensured continuous dissemination and discussion of the research findings and policy recommendations within its internal structures. Progress and preliminary results were presented and debated in the EFBWW Standing Committees for Wood/Furniture and Building. These discussions helped validate the findings, refine the policy recommendations, and strengthen ownership among affiliates.