13 June 2025
SGI Europe is pleased to invite you to the final conference of the Accessible Climate-Conscious Essential Services (A.C.C.E.S.) project, taking place on 25 June 2025, from 9:00 to 14:00, at the EESC in Brussels (Room JDE63). The final conference will be followed by a networking lunch.
Launched in partnership with BDEW, UFE, and USH, and co-funded by the European Union, the A.C.C.E.S. project explored how to strengthen the climate resilience, affordability and accessibility of essential services – with a focus on water, energy and housing – in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The conference will bring together high-level institutional speakers and service providers for a policy-packed morning. Confirmed speakers include Mario Nava, Director General of DG EMPL, Members of the European Parliament active on the EPSR, and the EESC Rapporteur on the EESC own-initiative opinion on the New Action Plan on the EPSR. Together, we will discuss the project’s findings and our call for a comprehensive Action Plan on Services of General Interest.
Interpretation will be available in English, French, German, and Italian, and online participation is also ensured.
Register here before 16 June to help shape Europe’s future essential services agenda!
Contact: Cecilia Martin
On 6 June, SGI Europe, together with project partners HOSPEEM and HEAG Holding, hosted the final conference of the Finance for the European Pillar of Social Rights (Finance4EPSR) project in Brussels. The event marked the conclusion of the two-year initiative aimed at supporting providers of services of general interest (SGIs) in accessing sustainable finance and demonstrating their contribution to the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR).
The project sought to address the gap left by the non-adoption of the EU Social Taxonomy by providing practical tools for assessing and recognising their social impact. At the heart of the project are the Guiding Methodology and the Self-Assessment Tool, designed to help SGI providers assess, report and communicate their social contributions in ways that are meaningful for both service delivery and investors.
Opening the event, SGI Europe Secretary General Valeria Ronzitti stressed that the green transition must also be a social one. She underlined that SGIs contribute daily to the realisation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) but are often overlooked in existing financial frameworks.
Participants heard from high-level speakers including Margaret Carroll, Head of the Social Policy Unit at the European Investment Bank (EIB), who highlighted the role of public finance institutions in driving socially sustainable investment, and Antje Schneeweiss, former rapporteur of the EU Social Taxonomy, who reflected on the challenges and future of building a coherent social investment framework.
As the EU enters a new institutional cycle, the Finance4EPSR project reinforces the message that integrating social priorities into financial frameworks is essential to achieving a fair and inclusive green and digital transition.
Contact: Cecilia Martin
On 13 June, SGI Europe participated in the European Commission’s hearing with EU social partners on the implementation of the Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality.
In its intervention, SGI Europe reaffirmed its support for the Recommendation, underscoring that, for employers delivering services of general interest, such as energy, transport, housing, and care, the fair transition is not a concept, but a daily operational challenge. Our members are key to delivering decarbonisation, resilience, and affordability on the ground; yet, they are often excluded from planning, funding, and skills initiatives.
Drawing on two EU-funded projects – ACCES, which analysed territorial inequalities in access to essential services, and Green Skills in VET, which mapped gaps in workforce readiness – SGI Europe shared evidence that the implementation of the Recommendation remains fragmented. We emphasised that only 4 in 10 local stakeholders have been involved in transition planning. At the same time, over 60% of SGI employers report green skills shortages that are not yet addressed by current training systems.
SGI Europe also stressed the need to simplify access to EU funding and to fully integrate SGIs into national strategies under REPowerEU and the Social Climate Fund. Referring to the Letta Report and the “Union of Preparedness” strategy, SGI Europe called for a stronger territorial approach aligned with the principle of “freedom to stay”.
Finally, SGI Europe welcomed the creation of the upcoming Just Transition Observatory, calling for it to monitor not only outcomes but also the level and quality of social partner engagement.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On 10 June 2025, SGI Europe hosted the meetings of its Energy and Transport Task Forces in Brussels, bringing together members to review and discuss key EU policy developments.
The Energy Task Force met in the morning, with the Secretariat General providing a comprehensive update on the latest EU legislative initiatives impacting the energy sector. The agenda also featured a guest contribution by Claire Roumet from EnergyCities, who presented perspectives on the phasing out of gas and outlined the role of local public services in supporting the energy transition. In addition, members received a sector-specific update on SGI Europe’s cross-sectoral Security Position Paper, currently being finalised as a contribution to the EU’s Preparedness Strategy for critical infrastructures. Members further exchanged views on the EU Agenda for Competitiveness, the EU Affordable Energy Plan, the RePowerEU Roadmap for phasing out Russian energy imports, and the current state of national implementation of the Social Climate Fund and revised National Energy and Climate Plans.
In the afternoon, the Transport Task Force convened to address current developments in sustainable and competitive mobility at the EU level. The Secretariat General provided an overview of legislative files, including TEN-T, the Public Service Obligation Guidelines, Multimodal Travel Information Services, Digital Mobility Services, the Connecting Europe Facility, and recent national updates on Heavy-Duty Vehicles. The meeting also included a sectoral update on the Security Position Paper, highlighting key aspects relevant to transport infrastructure.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
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