26 May 2023
On Thursday 25 May 2023, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, addressed the Congress of the European Trade Union Confederation, held from 23-26 May in Berlin. A particular focus of the Congress was on the importance of EU social dialogue, with discussions between ETUC and EU employers organisations, including SGI Europe.
On this occasion, Mrs Ronzitti took the stage for a discussion with Esther Lynch, ETUC General Secretary. The conversation allowed the General Secretaries of both organisations to expose their vision and priorities, as well as the challenges and opportunities for social dialogue at the EU level. Mrs Ronzitti highlighted the added value of the EU social dialogue, the importance of the current negotiations on telework, and the right to disconnect to signal to the EU institutions that social dialogue yields results. It was also the occasion to look further and address the future institutional landscape for the EU, including the emerging discussion about “EU Public Goods”, the future of the EU economic governance framework and striking the right balance between investment and reforms.
During the Congress, the ETUC also elected its new management team, which will now engage with EU employers’ organisations to strengthen the EU social dialogue.
Contact: Benoît Cassorla
On 24 May, the Commission published the 2023 European Semester Spring Package, providing guidance to Member States. With this package, the European Commission’s main intention is to build a robust and future-proof economy that secures competitiveness and long-term prosperity for all in the face of a challenging geopolitical environment.
The Package includes country-specific recommendations and the country reports for the 27 Member States. This year, the European Semester pays particular attention to competitiveness and productivity while providing an updated, more detailed energy security and affordability analysis. The Commission recommends that Member States strengthen resilience and productivity, facilitate access to finance, provide affordable energy, reduce strategic dependencies, ensure the skills for the future, support the creation of quality jobs and support the needed skills to seize the opportunities of the green and digital transitions.
As part of its fiscal policy guidance, the Commission also urges governments to reduce public spending and avoid fueling price pressures to prevent contradictions between fiscal and monetary policies. The Commission insists that the reduction of public spending should primarily happen by phasing out energy aid measures; this means that Member States should wind down the support measures related to the energy price shock.
The European Commission nonetheless makes it clear in the various documents of the spring package that this does not mean that public investments should be cut back, as they remain necessary to achieve climate neutrality and improve its competitiveness.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On 22 and 23 May, SGI Europe held the meetings of its Environment and Water Task forces. On this occasion, SGI Europe members discussed the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (focusing on the polluter-pays principle), PFAS and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme.
The Environment Task Force more specifically focused on the Packing and Packaging Waste Regulation and more specifically on how to treat and go forward with bioplastics, compostable and biodegradable plastics. Members highlighted that, whilst some waste facilities can compost such bioplastics, many others are creating risks of heavily contaminating the compost and biowaste, with the risk of ending up with microplastics in the soils and water. The topic was also discussed with Riccardo Gambini, EU Policy Officer at European Compost Network (ECN) and Marco Ricci, Chair of the ECN on compostable plastics, who outlined the opportunities, challenges and threats.
During the Water Task Force, members have been updated on the state of play on the revision of the Urban Wastewater Directive, particularly on developing the EPR scheme, the fourth treatment stage in wastewater treatment plants and the impact of PFAS in filtering processes. The Task Force also welcomed Bertrand Vallet (from the European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation) to discuss the impacts of the UWWTD on wastewater streams and the development of the environmental criteria on wastewater in the EU Taxonomy.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On Monday 22 May and Tuesday 23 May, the Competitiveness Council took place. Under the chairmanship of Ebba Busch, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden and Minister for Energy, Business, EU ministers addressed the long-term competitiveness of the EU, as well as the Eco-design regulation and Unitary Patent System, the term competitiveness, the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Single Market and the critical raw materials act.
Building upon the European Commission’s communications “Long-term competitiveness of the EU looking beyond 2030” and “The Single Market at 30”, EU ministers acknowledged the importance of competitiveness as a core for the EU. Most Member States expressed support for the Commission’s plan to boost long-term competitiveness, focusing on updating the General block exemption regulation to accelerate the Green Deal and the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework. One of the angles addressed as a cornerstone of EU competitiveness is the Net Zero Industry Act, which Member States have recognised as highly relevant to boost Europe’s production capacity for clean technologies.
Regarding the Eco-design regulation, the Council adopted its general approach, calling for reinforcing a direct ban on the destruction of unsold textiles (with an exemption for micro and small enterprises and a transition period for medium-sized companies). The co-legislators will start the negotiations when the Parliament reaches its position.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
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