26 November 2021
On 26 November 2021, SGI Europe addressed the EESC's Labour Market Observatory remote public hearing covering the topic of ‘a Just Transition for workers of European industries: fostering opportunities for reskilling and upskilling’.
The event focused on how skills investments can support the twin transition and contribute to a fair recovery, ensuring a just transition for workers of European industries and taking into consideration the need to strengthen opportunities for reskilling and upskilling. The panels included representatives of the European Social Partners, the European Commission, Eurofound, Cedefop, the EESC, and civil society organisations.
SGI Europe underlined that the just transition must include a dedicated approach which emphasises the access to SGIs and essential services, in line with Principle 20 of the European Pillar of Social Rights. It is essential to put in place more effective and sustainable support mechanisms for guaranteeing access to all essential services, and for mitigating the adverse impact of the green transition such as raising prices for energy and transport, focusing on the vulnerable groups.
SGI Europe highlighted that the investment gaps in the education and training systems foster doubts about a twin transition that should deliver quality employment and upwards social convergence across EU. This context requires better support for the education and training providers, as well as strengthening the collaboration between the education providers and employers for tackling skills shortages and mismatches, and creating national just transition strategies with the involvement of the social partners.
Contact: Stefan Enica
On Wednesday 24 November, the European Commission launched the 2022 European Semester cycle of economic policy coordination. The European Semester Autumn Package includes the Annual Sustainable Growth Survey, Opinions on euro area Draft Budgetary Plans for 2022, policy recommendations for the euro area and the Commission’s proposal for a Joint Employment Report.
In this year’s package, the European Commission assesses that, whilst the European economy is moving from recovery to expansion it is now facing new headwinds, such as sharply increasing COVID cases, spiking inflation and ongoing supply-chain issues.
In this uncertain context, the European Commission states that whilst moving away from crisis management the European economy must head towards a sustainable and fair recovery that strengthens the EU economy’s resilience. The Recovery and Resilience Facility, with a budget of €723.8 billion in grants and loans, is presented in the package as the main pillar for building this long-term resilience of the EU.
As of today, the Commission has endorsed 22 national recovery and resilience plans and the Council has approved all of these. In the ASGS the Commission also calls upon Member States to ensure that national reforms reflect the priorities identified in the Annual Sustainable Growth Survey putting a renewed emphasis on the necessity for Member States to adapt to the imperatives of the Green and digital transitions.
SGI Europe welcomes the Autumn package and insists that meaningful and timely consultations with social partners are crucial for the accuracy of the reforms’ design as well as their effective implementation. Regular dialogue with social partners is even more important in the situation when tailored approaches are necessary and there are significant differences between regions, sectors and even enterprises from the same sector.
SGI Europe welcomes that the Commission is considering for 2022, to further step up its actions including through a Council Recommendation for supporting National Social Partners’ involvement in the implementation of NRRPs, along the lines of the annexes to the Council Implementing Decisions approving the NRRPs.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On 23 November, the committee for Internal Market of the European Parliament adopted its draft report on the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
From the 2,603 amendments tabled to the draft report prepared by MEP Andreas Schwab (EPP, DE), rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs have agreed on 6 overarching compromise amendments. The main changes addressed the establishment of a European High-Level Group of Digital Regulators, equally proposing that “core platform services” also encompass virtual assistants, web browsers, including an obligation of refrainment from combining personal data for targeted advertisement unless renewed user consent is given and introducing a structured complaint mechanism for competitors, business and end-users.
The DMA is one of the milestones to regulate. Key priorities for SGI Europe in this dossier were addressing the definition of ancillary services and ranking, prohibition of using non-publicly available data, self-preferencing and access to data amongst others. You can find our position here.
On Thursday 25 November, the European Council also agreed its position. The Council proposes to introduce a new obligation that enhances the right of end users to unsubscribe from core platform services, the inclusion of an annex that defines 'active end users' and 'active business users' and shortened deadlines for the designation of gatekeepers.
The European Parliament vote in the plenary is now scheduled for December 2021, paving the way to start negotiations with the Council during the French Presidency in 2022.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
On 23 November, SGI Europe addressed the online event Foresight in the Energy Sector organised by the think tank Green Energy Lab. Part of the Joint Programming Conference on Smart Energy Systems (JPP SES) which brought together SET-Plan initiatives and funding networks in the field of energy systems and system integration, the event intended to support the development of foresight activities, with a focus on research and innovation on the most promising opportunities to develop clean energy system.
WienEnergie, member of SGI Europe, is amongst the founding member enterprises of this project. During the panel discussion, SGI Europe outlined the EU perspective on strategic foresight in the EU policy making, presenting SGI Europe’s understanding of foresight and resilient EU policy making, and elaborated on the need to look “beyond GDP” to measure wellbeing and preparedness to mega trends and shocks. You can find more about SGI Europe’s key messages on Foresight in our feedback on the European Commission’s Resilience Dashboards of the Strategic Foresight Report.
During this interactive online event, participants were informed about news from the JPP SES initiative and the involvement of the Green Energy Lab as well as on the latest research and innovation projects, covering solar panel projects for SMEs and on-side projects for more predictability in the energy sector. The Green Energy Lab plans in Spring 2022 to launch its “Green Energy Foresight” report that will exemplify their findings and experiences.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
In the plenary of the European Parliament, MEPs on Thursday decided to start talks on a proposal for a directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union. The European Parliament endorsed the mandate agreed by the Employment and Social Affairs committee with 443 votes in favour, 192 against and 58 abstentions. The negotiations will start as soon as the Council has approved its own position.
The draft directive on a minimum wage aims to lay down minimum requirements to ensure an income that allows for a decent standard of living for workers and their families, either via a statutory minimum wage (the lowest wage level permitted by law) or by allowing workers to negotiate their wages with employers via collective bargaining. Parliament also wants to strengthen and extend the coverage of collective bargaining by obliging Member States with less than 80% of workers covered by these agreements to take active steps to promote this tool.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
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