Event: "The Green Deal as the EU growth strategy: Contributions and expectations from SGIs at the heart of the transition"

On 20 November 2023, SGI Europe organised, with the support of the Employers Group in the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), an event dedicated to “The EU Green Deal as a Growth Strategy: Contributions and expectations from SGIs at the heart of the transition”. The event was hosted at the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels.

The event gathered providers of SGIs, public services, education providers and EU institutions to identify answers to better balance the social and economic challenges linked with the clean reindustrialisation of the EU industry. With 40% of employers struggling to find workers with the necessary skills, continuous work-based learning, as well as up- and re-skilling are now imperative to deliver economic growth and succeed in the green transition. SGIs and VET providers will play a crucial role in shaping and implementing policies to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure socioeconomic stability.

Following an introduction by Josep Puxeu Rocamora (EESC member of the Employers Group), the event addressed the cross-cutting issues of the green transition, with a focus on the critical infrastructures and the effects. The first panel focused on green reindustrialization and, following an opening address by Andrei Bunis (Policy Advisor for Skills and Industry, DG GROW, EC) focused on the means to achieve the climate targets of the EU Green Deal, experts – Sorcha Edwards (Housing Europe), Milo Fiasconaro (Aqua Publica Europea), Johannes Imminger (Wiener Stadtwerke) and Lucie Petersen (UITP) – highlighted the challenges faced their sectors in ensuring that sustainability is at the heart of the new business model of the EU. To achieve this goal, an “emissions reduction strategy”, a technology-neutral approach and ensuring that we have the necessary green skills will be necessary.

The second panel focused more specifically on this dimension, and the up- and re-skilling of the EU workforce. The panel was opened by Andriana Sukova (Deputy Director-General, DG EMPL, EC), who highlighted the multiple ongoing initiatives of the European in the context of the EU Year of Skills to address the recurring labour shortage across Europe. Via video message, MEP Dragos Pislaru (Renew, RO; chair of the Employment Committee) called for the European Pillar of Social Rights to prioritise accelerating green and social EU policies implementation, the proper coordination, and a robust intergenerational approach to overcome current obstacles. It calls for breaking the “silo approach” that is still prevalent, and for better integrating the social and the economic dimension in the green transition. This message was also strongly echoed by Jaime Iglesias Sánchez-Cervera (head of Unit for International Relations at Ministry of Labour and Social Economy Spain), Mara Brugia (Deputy Director General, CEDEFOP), Ben Lennon, (ETUC) and Tor HATLEVOLL (SALAR).

Concluding the event, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary General, highlighted that there are reason to remain optimistic for an “SGI-friendly” implementation of the EU Green Deal. Ms Ronzitti called for further strengthening the work of the EU social partners via “Green Dialogues”, as proposed in the European Commission’s Work Programme for 2024.