For our economic security, we must ensure we keep and rebuild integrated supply chains in Europe from foundation to downstream industries – the Clean Industrial Deal must take a value chain approach.
We welcome the intended focus on affordable energy – we need massive investment in our infrastructure and grids to ensure abundant, affordable, low-carbon energy is available at home and in our industries. In reforming the energy sector, the needs of the 8 million workers in Europe’s energy-intensive industries must be taken into account. This demands concrete safeguards in terms of priority access to the grid, grid renovation/extension planning, market design reform and state aid.
“Our plants must have a business case to produce the clean, circular products that underpin the transition, in the energy framework and through lead markets. Demand-side measures and incentives are crucial to leverage the internal market, but always with social conditionalities attached,” stressed Judith Kirton-Darling.
The external dimension of the Clean Industrial Deal was also stressed, as industriAll Europe has argued that industrial resilience in Europe is impossible without strong action on global overcapacities and unfair practices. EU industries are and should remain part of a global economy. We insist on fair and regulated trade, with good jobs guaranteed along global supply chains through binding due diligence rules. This is how we ensure a level playing field.
Ensuring a Just Transition long term
Finally, it was stressed that a comprehensive Just Transition Framework, including hard legislation must remain a priority. We need stronger rights to social dialogue, collective bargaining and information and consultation.
IndustriAll Europe Deputy General Secretary Isabelle Barthès recalled, “The impact of not listening to people’s and workers’ concerns are visible today. Transition is seen as a threat. Decarbonisation must go hand in hand with a quality jobs agenda – this is essential for political stability. Voluntary initiatives have their limits and leave workers at the mercy of employers’ vetoes, as the failure of the European gas negotiations has shown. Simplification will not solve the problem of the industry. Furthermore, workers’ rights are not red tape.”
Decarbonisation happens at the company level. IndustriAll Europe has called for the Commission to include initiatives in the Clean Industrial Deal to empower workers so that they can make the most of the transition.
This is why we need a Just Transition framework which is essential to deliver a real industrial deal on the ground, including:
- Anticipate change through timely information and consultation of workers on the transformation plan
- Addresse the twin green and digital transition
- Ensure companies develop transition plans in social dialogue with employees and trade unions mapping employment and skills requirements
- The objectives of such a directive are to protect jobs and/or organise a job-to-job transition, through re- and upskilling, placements within the company, the same group, same sector, or between sectors if necessary
- All alternatives explored including via dialogue with local authorities – envisage redundancies as a last resort
- Social dialogue is promoted at all levels and the social Just Transition plan must lead to negotiated solutions
- Quality training is key to employment security, to ensure quality job and ensure that the right skills will be available
- Access to adequate training is guaranteed
- Diversity is also promoted