4 February 2022
On 2 February, the European Commission adopted its complementary delegated act (CDA) on nuclear and natural gas in the EU taxonomy and its related annexes (available here). In our press release, SGI Europe welcomed the CDA and the inclusion of nuclear and gas in the EU taxonomy framework. This proposal helps recognise the contribution of these two activities to the energy transition. SGI Europe is committed to making the EU taxonomy a success in achieving the EU climate ambitions by relying on a balanced and science-based EU Sustainable Finance Mechanism.
Regarding gas, we welcome the flexibility provided by the CDA to meet the requirements, the different threshold values, as well as the extension of the deadlines. For SGI providers, the proposed criteria for classification of gas as a sustainable economic activity are still very demanding, even for the most modern gas plants. For our members, achieving the energy transition affordably and realistically will remain a costly and significant challenge."
For SGI Europe, nuclear is eligible to be included in the scope of the EU taxonomy, in line with the findings of the JRC report "Technical assessment of nuclear energy with respect to the 'do no significant harm' criteria of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 ('Taxonomy Regulation')". We welcome its proposed inclusion in the scope of the EU taxonomy: nuclear is an integral part of the solution to decarbonise the EU by 2050. Given its low carbon footprint, the increase of energy demand (especially in electricity) and fluctuating renewables, SGI Europe sees investments in nuclear as absolutely necessary to meet the future energy needs of the EU economy.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On 1 February, SGI Europe and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE) organised the second sectoral workshop of the project ‘Green Skills in VET’, focused on the energy sector. The project is co-financed by the European Commission.
The workshop was opened by Valeria Ronzitti, General Secretary of SGI Europe, and Daniel Wisniewski, General Secretary of EFEE, emphasising the importance of building solid partnerships between SGI and VET providers in the context of the green transition, and framing SGIs and VET as key actors in building sustainable economic growth.
The project research team lead by the Association for International and Comparative Studies in Labour and Industrial Relations (ADAPT) underlined that the lack of a didactic framework and adequate learning facilities are the main issues encountered by VET providers when providing green skills. Examples of skills and qualifications in the low-carbon economy include chemical engineers, electronics engineers, and project managers. The preliminary research outcomes indicate that the integration of the matrix of green skills into existing occupational profiles is more likely than the creation of totally new ‘green profiles’.
Participants of the workshop also exchanged best practices from several Member States. Maria Margarida Azevedo, Head of Learning at Energias de Portugal University (EDP), described the communication campaign promoting their training offers, which helped EDP double the number of employees aged 25-40 in the last 6 years.
Samah Elsayed, Programme Officer at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), highlighted the need to increase the use of experiential learning, and make sure students can be independent learners, as the necessary knowledge on the labour market evolves very fast and require life-long learning competences.
Elmar Thyen, chair of SGI Europe Energy task force, underlined the lack of youth in the sector, and the importance of quality apprenticeships. Eliza Mahdavy, Head of ESG Performance at Electricité de France (EDF), emphasised the need to raise awareness of local industries, and boost the capacity to upgrade skills of the companies at local level.
Member States now need to actively involve social partners in modernising education and training curricula, reforming their skills and employment strategies for encountering new skills and training needs, and strengthening the opportunity of jobs creation within the greening of the economy.
Contact: Stefan Enica
On 9 December 2021, the European Commission published draft guidelines on the application of EU competition law to collective agreements on the working conditions of solo self-employed people providing services. Ahead of the deadline for the consultation on 24 February, SGI Europe and the EU cross-industry social partners will attend a dedicated hearing on 9 February.
The draft guidelines are wide in scope, defining solo self-employed people as “persons who do not have an employment contract or who are not in an employment relationship and who rely primarily on their own personal labour for the provision of the services concerned”. The practical relevance of the guidelines is that solo self-employed would now have the certainty that they can discuss and agree on collective actions. For this purpose, the draft guidelines clarify that, in certain circumstances, solo self-employed individuals are to be treated as workers rather than undertakings.
The consultation on the guidelines is open until 24 February 2022 and SGI Europe will participate to a dedicated hearing organised by the European Commission (DG Competition) on 9 February 2022 to provide a preliminary assessment on the content of the draft guidelines. Some crucial points arising include the fact that the guidelines cannot be seen in isolation, in particular the proposal for a directive on improving the working conditions for platform workers. There is also a concern over the interactions and the lack of clear distinction between genuine collective bargaining and new forms of collective representation allowed to self-employed workers.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
Following up on the address of French President Macron at the plenary of the European Parliament presenting the overarching priorities of the French Presidency of the EU (PFUE), 16 hearings of representatives of the French government were held by the different committees of the European Parliament.
In those meetings, started on 24 January, ministers further outlined the priorities of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU. With the French Presidency lasting until June 2022, and with its programme centred around the three main ambitions of a more sovereign Europe, a new European model for growth and a humane Europe, the relevant ministers had the opportunity to present their plans and exchange views with MEPs.
Those events provided opportunities to dig deeper into the priority files of the PFUE, which will run until 30 June 2022. You can read more about it here.
Contact: Antonio Astolfi
The Commission has, in a form of a questionnaire, launched the public consultation on the Rail transport - revision of the state aid Guidelines. The deadline to respond to the public consultation is 16 March 2022.
The Railway guidelines will be revised based on the results of the Fitness Check, a big evaluation exercise that the Commission conducted in 2019/2020. The Fitness Check showed that the Railways’ Guidelines are not fit for purpose and would need a full-fledged review to align them with the current legislation and to make them fit for the full liberalisation and market opening. Furthermore, even the outbreak of COVID-19 caused negative developments regarding the substantial loss of intermodal volumes, a disruption of supply chains from China as well as the heavily disturbed intercontinental flow of cargo.
The questionnaire is structured into 8 chapters, concerning: the support to modal shift towards less polluting and more sustainable transport modes, infrastructure for rail and intermodal transport, access to rolling stock, other sectors that contribute to multimodal transport solutions, services of general economic interest in the rail sector, rescue and restructuring aid to railway undertakings, financial transactions concerning railway undertakings and regional bonuses.
SGI Europe will respond to the public consultation.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
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