10 November 2022
On Monday 7 November 2022, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, addressed the Macro-Economic Dialogue at Political Level (MEDPOL). Bringing together, amongst others, Paschal Donohoe, Eurogroup President, Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission Executive Vice-President, Zbyněk Stanjura, Czech Minister of Finance, Luis de Guindos, ECB Vice-President, and social partners, the meeting focused on the impacts and consequences stemming from high energy prices.
On this occasion, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, highlighted that enterprises providing services of general interest (SGIs) are facing extreme pressures that threaten their ability to fulfil their missions, to invest, and to anticipate the impacts of climate change. Rising energy and commodity prices, labour shortages, and the increasing difficulty for end-users to pay their bills: all point to a growing risk of insolvency and service interruption for SGIs.
Mrs Ronzitti called for urgent support to households and enterprises. However, those schemes must remain temporary to contain fiscal costs while maintaining price signals to foster energy savings. Collective bargaining and timely and balanced wage negotiations are also part of the solution. Together with the fast rollout of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the temporary crisis framework for state aid remains a key safety net, with support urgently needed for SGIs facing bankruptcy.
SGI Europe also reminded EU decision-makers that the EU Green Deal’s ambitions to boost low-carbon energy systems and lowering energy consumption must remain the central element to the EU’s long-term resilience and security of energy supply. As such, it is the only viable long-term plan for the EU.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On 9 November 2022, the European Commission has presented a communication on the review of the EU economic governance, setting out the main orientations proposed to make it fit for current and future challenges. With the pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis, SGI Europe believes that the time is right for swiftly agreeing on a new framework for the EU economic governance, balancing better investment needs and fiscal-structural consolidation. Read more on our press release.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
This week, the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) started in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt). Gathering global leaders and international stakeholders, the 2-week event will aim at taking forward the fight against climate change.
Just like last year, the climate talks are overshadowed in 2022 by multiple crises – such as the Russian war in Ukraine, the raw materials shortages and the economic crisis – putting at risk the global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In this highly deteriorated context, SGI Europe calls upon leaders to remain committed to the agreed climate agenda and its timeline, via binding climate commitments agreed by all parties.
In the face of those looming threats, the contribution of public services and services of general interest (SGIs) must be better recognised, as they are central to building resilience against economic, social and environmental shocks.
SGIs are key to healthy socio-economic development and must be a top priority for investment strategies to remain resilient to climate change. Making this a reality requires long-term planning and investments, as well as commitment and strong political support from the international community and local governments.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On 7th November, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation to enhance transparency in the field of short-term accommodation rentals and help public authorities ensure their balanced development as part of a sustainable tourism sector. As follows for the proposal, the new rules aim at levelling the playing field between short-term accommodation bookings and other sectors, such as housing. by improving the collection and sharing of data from hosts and online platforms to public authorities. The online platforms will have to share data once per month, while lighter obligations will apply to small and micro platforms.
Short-term accommodation rentals amount for 25% of all tourist accommodation offers in the EU and their share is growing. While enabling cheaper travelling, those accommodations can lead to excessive tourism flows, putting at risk the sustainable transition of the sector. Unregulated short-term rentals can also cause distortions in the housing market, increasing prices and making cities less affordable to live in.
SGI Europe welcomes this proposal to make short-term rentals more transparent. In times of energy crisis, with living costs consistently rising, resulting in difficulties for many citizens to meet ends, the housing sector – including social housing – struggles to keep up with the increasing needs, especially after years of underinvestment.
While tourism remains an important economic sector that enriches societies, it is also an opportunity to reflect on its nature. Sustainable tourism remedying its own negative externalities and benefiting society at large is the key. The public consultation to provide feedback is open until 4th January 2023. SGI Europe will keep monitoring the proposals and developments.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
The Energy Task Force, chaired by Elmar Thyen, held its meeting on 8 November. It was followed on 9 November by the Transport Task Force, chaired by Monika Unterholzner. Both meetings addressed, amongst other pressing EU files, the energy crisis and its impacts on the daily operations of SGIs.
With looming energy prices increases and inflation, enterprises in the energy and transport sector are threatened on their daily operations. The sectors have to deal with a dual challenge: they have to become more sustainable and in line with the ambitious goals of the EU Green Deal, whilst facing the economic crisis. Still suffering from the aftermath of COVID-19, increasing labour shortages additionally put SGIs in a further difficult situation. Concrete temporary financial support for SGIs and public enterprises is now essential. At the same time, planned long-term investments to achieve the green transformation the sectors and upgrading infrastructure must be preserved to ensure SGIs continue to face environmental and economic shocks.
The Energy Task Force also exchanged views with guest speaker Tomas Prouza, coordinator of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, who presented the state of play regarding the latest energy emergency talks amongst Energy Ministers, and discussed the next steps.
The next Energy and Transport Task force meetings will take place in early 2023.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On 30 November 2022, the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM, SGI Europe sectorial member) will organise, together with European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) a Technical Seminar on Skills and Digitalisation, focusing on “Digital Health Transformation of Integrated Care in Europe. Digital and non-digital skills of healthcare professionals. Examples from EU Sectoral Social Partners”. You can find the draft agenda on HOSPEEM’s website.
The Seminar will explore how digital solutions can support the integration of health and care services and will discuss which set of existing and emerging skills should be identified and developed. Examples from EU Sectoral Social Partners will present employers’ and workers’ current and future challenges in digital transformation. Representatives from EU institutions will contribute to the discussion.
You can register to attend the event with the following registration form. The deadline for signing up is 25 November 2022.
Contact: Sara Fasoli, HOSPEEM Project and Policy Officer
CEDEFOP kickstarts the 2023 European Year of Skills with the virtual conference ‘Powering the European digital transition: what can we learn from CEDEFOP’s second European skills and jobs survey’.
SGI Europe will be present during this high-level policy event, addressing on 13 December the panel ‘Digitalisation and social dialogue’. The keynote speakers at this high-level conference include Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, European Commission and Sir Christopher Pissarides, Nobel Prize Laureate and Regius Professor in Economics.
Prominent experts in the fields of digitalisation and skills mismatch will present cutting-edge research on how the future of work is unfolding and on what can be done to shape an inclusive digital transition. Good digital skills development policies and practices from EU Member States will be showcased to provide inspiration on how to put skills and digital policy ambitions into practice.
To attend the conference, please register using the following link.
Contact: Stefan Enica
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