30 September 2022
Ahead of the extraordinary meeting of the Energy Council on 30 September 2022, SGI Europe and its members, providers of services of general interest in sectors such as energy, housing, waste, water, telecommunications, healthcare or social services, call on EU institutions to deliver results to shelter citizens and economic actors from the consequences of the ongoing Russian war. Read more.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On Wednesday 28 September, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a Council Recommendation on adequate minimum income. This initiative comes at the critical moment, while the cost-of-living crisis endangers the ability of many Europeans to live a life in dignity. SGI Europe welcomes the proposal as it encompasses guidelines to improve access to inclusive labour markets and to essential services.
The Recommendation intends to encourage more adequate design of minimum income schemes to foster the reintegration of beneficiaries into the labour market. Member States are recommended to ensure labour market activation through various measures, including supporting the development of social services and improving investment in human capital through inclusive education and training in cooperation with social partners.
Other recommended measures include combining income support with earnings from work, reviewing (dis)incentives from tax and benefit systems, and ensuring that activation requirements provide enough incentives to (re)enter the labour market.
Additionally, Member States are recommended to ensure adequate and equal access to a wide range of services that cover the diverse membership of SGI Europe. These include effective and equal access to enabling services in line with quality principles defined in the Voluntary European Quality Framework for Social Services. Additionally, the measures include safeguarding the continuity of adequate access to essential services as defined in principle 20 of the European Pillar of social rights.
Adequate minimum income schemes will be crucial in addressing the cost of living crisis and fostering better conditions for Labour market participation.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On Thursday, 29 September 2022, the Competitiveness Council discussed the Single Market Emergency Instrument. The European Commission presented the proposal of a Regulation and two Directives on 19 September 2022, aiming to guarantee the internal market's functioning in times of crisis. According to the proposal, three different phases of emergency could be declared in times of severe disturbances, and appropriate measures could be taken at the EU level.
A vast majority of Member states share similar concerns. These are, in particular, the need for a clear and unambiguous definition of “crisis” and the different phases, as well as concerns regarding the administrative burden for companies, the division of competences between the European Commission and the Council in activating and monitoring the crises, the safeguard of trade secrets, and the coherence with other EU legislations, such as the Chips Act, the Raw Materials Act, and the HERA. Throughout the discussion, the foresight and flexibility to react were pointed out repeatedly.
Some delegations also highlighted updating the Public Procurement Directive and setting a common Framework on Compulsory Licences as options to respond to the crises better. All Member States agreed that the SMEI has the potential to end the improvisation in reacting to emergencies, but it needs to be carefully reflected.
Ján Oravec, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Economy of the Slovak Republic, also highlighted that, as this first discussion was taking place only ten days after the presentation of the initial proposal, it was still premature for Member States to have clear positioning on it.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
In the framework of SGI Europe’s project co-funded by the European Commission, ‘Green Skills in VET’, the last Steering Committee Meetings took place on 27 September, bringing together the project partners and the external experts.
Alongside the project partners, SGI Europe and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE) discussed with the research team of the Association for International and Comparative Studies in Labour and Industrial Relations (ADAPT) the final report of the project. It will include key findings and best practices, focusing on current and future green skills and training needs of employers of services of general interest and their collaboration with education providers within.
The project’s final report will be presented during the dissemination conference, which will take place in Brussels on Monday 5 December, from 14:00-17:00. On this occasion, SGI Europe and EFEE will welcome Nicolas Schmit, EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Affairs, as keynote speaker. The draft agendas and registration information will soon be circulated.
Contact: Stefan Enica
The European Sustainable Energy Week was held this week in Brussels, with several policy conferences organized on topics related to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe. A specific focus was put on REPowerEU and its objectives of saving energy, diversifying and building a greener EU energy system. Panellists, among which the Deputy Director-General for Energy, Matthew Baldwin, presented the REPowerEU plan in light of the recent developments linked to soaring energy prices.
SGI Europe had the opportunity to engage in those conversations, with a specific focus on the support needed for utilities lacking liquidities and facing bankruptcy. There is a common understanding that there is a lack of help to support energy suppliers in the last segment of the energy value chain and who are delivering energy to consumers. Despite a set of comprehensive measures to mitigate high energy prices, SGI Europe calls on the EU and Member States to engage in supportive measures and finance mechanisms to support utilities in their essential role.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
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