Extensive public and private investment is needed in Europe to upgrade infrastructure and prepare the economy and society to meet stated climate ambitions. The EFBWW will work on drawing up a European investment plan, a 'Green New Deal', in which the building, forestry, wood and construction material sectors can play key roles.
Current EU budget rules hinder large public investment programmes at both the national and EU levels. The EFBWW will lobby for a change in these rules, to enable an ambitious investment programme to be set up at EU level.
The EFBWW will also set out specific demands in a programme for improving the functioning and fairness of the internal market. These demands will focus on strengthening the market role played by the building and woodworking sectors. The EFBWW's proposals will cover areas including the conditions for investment, fair public procurement and cross-border exchanges of data.
The EFBWW will also strive to influence education and vocational training policies for our sectors in a bid to strengthen workers' role, pave the way for higher-level qualifications and skills, secure lifelong learning and identify new vocational training requirements that will help create new jobs. Another aim will be to make the EFBWW sectors more attractive to young people and women workers.