1 July 2022
On Tuesday 28 June, the EU social partners officially signed their new Work Programme of joint activities for 2022-24, in the presence of the European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis. The signing took place as part of a conference organised by the Social Partners on the future of Social Dialogue in Europe.
The comprehensive Work Programme covers topics demonstrating the foresight capacity of European cross-sectoral social partners in the light of the double transition. There are six joint actions envisaged for the Work Programme.
First and foremost, the 2002 Autonomous Agreement on Telework will be reviewed and put forward for implementation via a Directive. During the conference, General Secretary Valeria Ronzitti said: "This negotiation will be a landmark in the history of Social dialogue: this will be the first time that Social Partners will be asking for an autonomous agreement to be implemented via a Directive without any prior consultation by the European Commission. This demonstrates both the social partners' maturity and sense of responsibility".
The other topics of action identified in the Work Programme include just transition, youth employment, work-related privacy and surveillance, skills matching, and capacity building.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On Wednesday 29 June, the European Commission presented its 2022 Strategic Foresight Report (SFR), "Twinning green and digital transitions in the new geopolitical context". It provides an integrated analysis looking into the future of interactions between the two transitions, taking into account the role of new and emerging technologies and the critical geopolitical, social, economic, and regulatory factors that shape their ability to reinforce each other. It identifies ten areas of action to maximise synergies and coherence between the EU's ambitions on the green and digital transitions. You can find SGI Europe's comments on this report here.
According to the report, the energy, transport, industry, construction and agriculture sectors - those that emit the most CO2 - will be instrumental in successfully coupling the green and digital transitions. New technologies will play a key role in reducing the carbon footprint of these sectors. However, most CO2 emission reductions by 2030 will come from technologies already available. However, climate neutrality and circularity by 2050 will be made possible by new technologies currently being tested, demonstrated, or prototyped.
Coupling the green and digital transitions will require the EU's economic model to focus on welfare, sustainability and circularity. The EU's position in setting global standards will play an important role in this regard, while social equity and the skills agenda will be part of the conditions for success, as will the mobilisation of public and private investments.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
On 27 and 28 June, on the occasion of the last Energy and of the Environment Council of the French Presidency of the EU, the Council adopted its general approaches on several key proposals from the Fit-for-55 package.
On Monday 27 June, in its Energy configuration, the Council discussed the energy aspects of the Fit-for-55 package, including the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). On the revision of the EED, the Council agreed to reduce energy consumption at the EU level by 36% for final energy consumption and 39% for primary energy consumption by 2030, compared to a reference scenario from 2007. This corresponds to a decrease in consumption of 9% in 2030 compared to 2020. In its position paper on the revised EED, SGI Europe agrees on the need for ambitious energy efficiency targets. Still, it recalls that many aspects of the first EED have not yet been fully transposed into national law.
On the RED, the Council agreed on a position setting a binding EU-level target of 40% of energy from renewable sources in the overall energy mix by 2030. The Council agreed on a series of measures adapted to each sector to make this measure applicable. SGI Europe, in its position paper on the revised RED, welcomed the increased target, whilst calling for faster permitting for the deployment of renewable energy projects.
On Tuesday 28 June, several items were on the agenda in its Environment configuration, including the revision of the EU Emission Trading System. The Council agreed on an overall ambition of 61% of emissions reductions by 2030 in the sectors covered by the EU ETS, as proposed by the Commission. In its position paper on the revision of the EU ETS, SGI Europe welcomed the ambition of the European Commission to strengthen and extend the ETS as one of the leading EU instruments to fight climate change. The review of the EU ETS should set a meaningful carbon price to drive cost-effective energy transition by promoting renewable and low-carbon technology investments.
Trilogue negotiations between the co-legislators (European Parliament and Council) will start during the Czech presidency of the Council of the EU. SGI Europe will closely monitor these negotiations' development, which is essential to realise the EU Green Deal and reach its climate targets.
Contact: Ariel Carpanini
On 29 June, the European Commission adopted the 'Flexible Assistance to Territories (FAST-CARE)' to increase Member States' financial support, regional and local authorities, and partners for welcoming and integrating Ukrainian refugees.
The FAST-CARE initiative will offer additional flexibility for implementing Cohesion Policy investments, also contributing to mitigating the delayed implementation of EU-funded projects due to the combined effect of COVID-19 and the high energy costs, shortage of raw materials and labour force caused by the war.
The package will increase by an additional €3.5 billion the pre-finance payments to be disbursed in 2022 and 2023, which will provide rapid additional liquidity to all Member States, allowing the increase of the amounts to cover the basic needs of refugees. The package will ensure that at least 30% of the resources mobilised will be granted to local authorities and civil society organisations operating in local communities.
Contact: Stefan Enica
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