7 October 2022
On 30 September 2022, the Sustainability Board held its last meeting chaired by Jean-Eudes Moncomble. SGI Europe is thankful for Mr Moncomble’s dedication and support to the Board and the organisation to promote public services and SGIs on the EU level for the last decades.
SGI Europe and its members discussed the third edition of the Strategic Foresight Report (SFR) with European Commission’s Team Leader Grzegorz Drozd during this meeting. Mr Drozd provided a valuable analysis regarding the twinning of the green and digitalised transitions towards climate neutrality. The SFR outlines ten critical action areas to maximise synergies and consistency between the EU’s climate and digital policies, concluding that more needs to be done to harmonise the two approaches.
In the second session, the energy crisis was addressed, gathering members’ input and identifying the challenges ahead for SGIs. This issue will remain high on the agenda of the Board, with views of developing a transversal approach through SGI Europe’s sectors of activity.
Finally, Joanna Sikora-Wittnebel (European Commission, DG FISMA) provided an update and overview on the current state of play regarding the development of the EU Taxonomy 4, which is currently being finalised. The European Commission is actively finalising the Environmental Delegated Act, which is planned to be published with an accompanying Staff Working Document setting out the context, purpose, content and impacts of the Environmental DA. One part of the Staff Working Document will be an estimation of costs/benefits that could be associated with disclosing against the Environmental DA. SGI Europe shared during the meeting its comments and feedback, further contributing to shaping the implementation of the EU Taxonomy.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On Friday 30 September 2022, EU Energy ministers met for an extraordinary Energy Council. On this occasion, EU Member States agreed to a package of measures to address rising energy prices and discussed further steps to mitigate higher gas prices.
During the meeting, EU Energy Ministers agreed on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices with four main proposals:
Cap on market revenues for inframarginal: Ministers have agreed on a cap on market revenues at 180 Euros/MWh for electricity, incl. Intermediaries, to avoid further inflation on the final price of electricity by coal and gas. Here, Member States can choose appropriate measures to redirect the surplus revenues.
Solidarity levy for the fossil fuels sector: An agreement was found to set mandatory temporary solidarity contributions on the profits of businesses of petroleum, natural gas, coal and refinery sectors. This solidarity contribution will add to the Member States' regular taxes and levies.
Retail measures for SMEs: A temporarily set price was agreed to support SMEs in the safe supply of electricity to overcome the struggle of higher energy prices.
SGI Europe welcomes the measures adopted as a significant step to bring answers to citizens and enterprises facing increasing financial difficulties. SGI Europe particularly supports that the measures are limited in time, do not interfere with price formation on the international market, and leave room for Member States to implement. Lastly, SGI Europe now pleads for a quick and clear adjustment of the financial aid frameworks to support all enterprises affected by this crisis whilst leaving room for Member States to give quick access to liquidity assistance.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On Friday 7 October, the European Economic and Social Committee held a conference, ‘Towards an EU framework against homelessness based on the principle of 'Housing First'’. On a panel moderated by Milena Angelova (Vice-President of SGI Europe) on the underlying causes of homelessness, Virginie Toussain (Union Sociale Pour l’Habitat, SGI France) addressed the role of SGIs in providing sustainable, decent and affordable housing.
The conference focussed on successfully implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights as a tool to eradicate homelessness in the EU through ‘Housing First’ programmes. Housing First is a social policy that seeks to offer accommodation options for homeless people, eventually also include them in employment. However, for the successful implementation of Housing First, the availability of housing stock is not the only solution. A combination of affordable, decent and sustainable housing and adequate social policies must be the way to go.
On behalf of SGI Europe, Virginie Toussain highlighted that housing should be the springboard to accessing other essential services: often, access to SGIs is conditional upon having a registered address. Ms Toussain also spoke about the need for a holistic approach to homelessness, as it crosses many different sectors. The cost-of-living crisis has and will continue to impact the most vulnerable communities first.
The conference served as a stark reminder that energy poverty and lack of access to SGIs is a reality and an increasing problem in Europe. Homelessness consists of multifaceted themes, such as the lack of access to finance, rise in housing and living costs, unemployment, and lack of quality jobs. SGI Europe will continue to monitor this critical issue that transversally touches upon policy fields of housing, social and public services, and access to energy and utilities.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
In the framework of the SGI Europe’s project co-funded by the European Commission, “Involving SGIs in the European Semester”, the last Steering Committee Meetings took place on the 5 October, bringing together the project partners and the external experts.
SGI Europe, alongside the project partners from the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), the Union of Social and Solidarity Economy Employers (UDES), and the Union of Social Profit Companies (UNISOC), discussed with the research team lead by expert Inga Pavlovaite the operationalisation of the new network of National Semester Contact Points, and the methodology that will guide and improve SGI providers’ contribution to the milestones of the EU Semester process.
The project’s final report will be presented during the dissemination conference, which will take place in Brussels on Thursday 8 December, from 9:30 to 12:30. At this occasion, SGI Europe will welcome Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, as keynote speaker. The draft agendas and registration information will soon be circulated.
Contact: Stefan Enica
The European Commission has started consultations of the Member States on the prolongation and amendments of the State Aid Temporary Crisis Framework. The Temporary Crisis Framework has been in force since 23 March 2022; it was adopted one month after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine and aimed to compensate undertakings in all sectors for their losses due to the increased energy prices. Without a prolongation, the Temporary Framework would expire on 31 December 2023.
This temporary guide was amended for the first time in July 2022 to complement the Winter Preparedness Package in line with the REPowerEU objectives. The amendment added an important possibility to accelerate the rollout of renewables to be approved under the Temporary Crisis Framework.
The current consultations are taking place amidst the debate on the “subsidy race” following the decision of the German government to help consumers and companies with a EUR 200bn package.
Contact: Manca Pocivavsek
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