17 June 2022
On 15 June 2022, SGI Europe, with the support of its members EDF and Transdev, organised a conference "From Low to Zero Emission: How to decarbonise urban and peri-urban mobility? An Alliance between Energy and Transport". Addressing the need to decarbonise urban and peri-urban mobility to achieve EU's climate neutrality by 2050, the conference brought together EU decision-makers, transport and energy providers to address the relationship between the different sectors, with the transition towards zero-emission mobility as a critical goal.
Split into 2 panels and moderated by Lucie Petersen (EU Policy Expert, UITP), the event welcomed on this occasion MEP Ismail Ertug (S&D, DE), Dario Dubolino (Sustainable & Intelligent Transport, European Commission), Antoine Grange (CEO Europe, Transdev), Jörn Schwarze (Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG), Julien Martin (Head of Regulation Mobility Department, EDF), Elisa Schenner (Head of Brussels Office, Wiener Stadtwerke GmBH), Jens Müller (Policy and Research Lead, Transport & Environment) and Michael Villa (Executive Director, SmartEn). Read more.
Contact: Ariel Carpanini
On Thursday 16 June 2022, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, addressed the event of the European Movement International "Building on the Conference on the Future of Europe: What's Next?". This discussion provided an opportunity to take stock of the final results of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) and share views on the possible next steps.
Moderated by Petros Fassoulas, General Secretary of the EMI, the discussion also featured Joy Clara Schäflein (Member of the Citizens' Panels), Senator Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent, Seanad Éireann), Domènec Ruiz Devesa (MEP, S&D) and Marco Cilento (Head of Institutional Policy, ETUC).
On this occasion, Valeria Ronzitti highlighted that the final report of the CoFoE provided an invaluable reality check from citizens on the actions undertaken at EU level, with explicit calls made to ensure quality, accessible and affordable services of general interest. Ms Ronzitti also emphasised that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a game-changer in the re-balancing of priorities for citizens, and that this new reality should be better integrated into the EU decision-making process. She also called for increased exchanges between citizens, civil society, social partners and EU decision-makers and setting in place feedback loops on the ongoing legislative initiatives. Finally, when addressing the question of treaty changes (especially regarding the end of unanimity voting in the Council), Ms Ronzitti agreed with other speakers that the requests for treaty changes in the final report of the CoFoE were more side effects of its workings rather than its core request; the focus should therefore now be on fully implementing the 49 proposals, without focusing solely on this specific point.
You can re-watch the discussion here.
Contact: Maxime Staelens
On Thursday 17 June, the EPSCO Council made progress on a number of issues that have been the priorities for the French presidency (which will end on 30 June). First, the Council endorsed by formal vote the provisional agreement reached on the directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU. The agreement takes into account the legal diversity of Member States in the determination of the minimum wage as well as the centrality of social partners in wage-setting.
Additionally, the Council adopted recommendations on individual learning accounts and micro-credentials, in line with the general upskilling for the green and digital transitions as well as specific labour market needs identified on the Member State level. Individual learning accounts are foreseen to boost adult participation in training by ensuring the availability of career guidance and validation options, establishing an updated training registry, and developing of national digital portals for accessing the account. Meanwhile, the micro-credentials will be part of the same approach by validating also smaller, tailored learning experiences.
Finally, the Council adopted a recommendation to ensure a fair transition towards climate neutrality. It encourages Member States to adopt measures which address the social impacts - especially for the most vulnerable - of the green transition, such as ensuring quality jobs, access to safe working conditions, access to affordable essential services. Related to that, the Council adopted a recommendation to stimulate learning for the green transition. Member States are recommended to provide learning and upskilling opportunities for sustainable development to enhance the targeted support for educators.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On Friday 8 June, SGI Europe took part in the European Social Services Conference. The main theme of the conference was: "Rethinking Recovery - learning together from our experiences of delivering social care during the Covid-19 crisis".
SGI Europe was represented in a thematic panel discussion, hosted by Eurofound (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), on the latest debates on relevant concepts and policy frameworks regarding the essential role of social services. In a panel, it was reflected how the new tools have been developed and the new opportunities. As the pandemic revealed the vulnerabilities and the importance of essential workers, Member States reacted with lists of essential workers, new approaches of bringing services closer to people and increased digitalisation of social services. A special emphasis was dedicated to the importance of keeping the access to social services at the same level as it was before the pandemic. On this occasion, SGI Europe presented how social services fit into the definition of the SGIs from the internal market perspective, with their lighter regime of granting state aid in comparison to the other SGIs. You can read more about SGI Europe’s call for a wider recognition of SGIs, going beyond the understanding of SGIs as classic network utilities, but also including healthcare, education, social services and culture here.
Other speakers in the panel, Thomas Bignal, Head of Policy, EASPD, explained how providers of social services coped with the challenges of the pandemic, whilst Milena Buchs, Associate professor at the University of Leeds, presented the challenges of the environmental policies and their impacts on social groups. Sarah Mc Clinton, Director of Health and Adult Services, Royal Borough of Greenwich reflected on the changes that pandemic brought to the service providers and those in need.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
On Tuesday 14 June, MEPs from the committees on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) objected to the inclusion of nuclear and gas in the list of environmentally sustainable economic activities.
In a joint meeting, MEPs adopted an objection to the European Commission's proposal to include specific nuclear and gas energy activities in the list of environmentally sustainable economic activities covered by the so-called EU Taxonomy, with 76 votes to 62 votes and 4 abstentions.
MEPs recognise the role of nuclear and fossil gas in guaranteeing stable energy supply during the transition to a sustainable economy. They however consider that the technical screening standards proposed by the Commission in its delegated act to support their inclusion do not respect the criteria for environmentally sustainable economic activities as set out in Article 3 of the Taxonomy Regulation. The resolution adopted by MEPs also requests that any new or amended delegated act should be subject to a public consultation and impact assessments, as they could have significant economic, environmental and social impacts.
In its paper on the European Commission's proposal for a complementary delegated act on nuclear and gas, SGI Europe welcomed the proposal of the European Commission, as it should help to recognise the contribution of these two activities to the energy and decarbonised transition whilst supporting renewable energies.
The resolution is scheduled for a vote during the Parliament's plenary session of 4-7 July 2022. The Parliament and Council have until 11 July 2022 to decide whether to veto the Commission's proposal. If an absolute majority of MEPs (353) objects to the Commission's proposal, the Commission will have to withdraw or amend it.
Contact: Stefan Enica
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