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EFBWW News

Do not forget our construction workers!

11/12/2019
Presentation of the European Green deal to the European Parliament
Do not forget our construction workers!

Today, the President of the European Commission Mrs von der Leyen will present the European Green Deal (EGD) to the European Parliament. Tomorrow it will be up to the new President Mr Michel to convince the EU Member States.

The EFBWW is positive as to the high ambition of the European Commission to create a ‘climate neutral EU’ by 2050. In connection to this the EFBWW welcomes in particular certain innovative actions, such as the creation of a Just Transition Fund to leave no one behind and the ambition of the European Commission to coordinate its actions with regions, local communities, civil society, industry and schools.

Building a carbon free economy implies that we all have to shoulder the common ambitions. The current Commission Vice-President for “An Economy that Works for People”, Mr Dombrovskis, and Commissioner Schmidt will have to demonstrate that our workers are fully involved in the transition towards climate neutrality and that workers’ rights are safeguarded.

At the COP25 in Madrid Mrs. von der Leyen stressed that ‘this transition must work for all or it will not work at all”.

For the European construction industry, the economic and social challenges will be enormous. We will have to build high-efficient infrastructures, develop and implement a new circular economy action plan, transform our cities into smart cities, trigger substantial investments, build more comfortable and healthier buildings, boost renovation for existing private houses and so on.

All this can only be achieved if we simultaneously upgrade the professional skills and qualifications of millions of construction workers, safeguard high health and safety standards, restore and strengthen industrial relations in the construction industry and develop a fair and attractive labour market for our workers. These demands come on top of several open questions, such as the size of the Just Transition Fund and what sectors and actions it will cover?

Over the five years, the EFBWW will constructively cooperate with the European Institutions, our social partners and all relevant stakeholders to develop carbon-neutral construction industry  by 2050. Simultaneously we will ensure that the European social dimension is embedded in all future EU actions, which affect the construction industry. After all, a zero carbon construction industry will be implemented and built by construction workers.

The EU Communication is available in all languages