“My presidency begins at a transformative time: a new European legislature is starting, with the renewal of the European Parliament and the European Commission. This presents a critical opportunity for us to influence and shape the policies of the new institutions. There is much to discuss, our dialogue to be intensified and further relations to be built.
The representation of our sector and our businesses is a vital element for European policymaking. Our institutional activities are essential to benefit our companies, but also to support European efforts for a truly common and competitive market, for a stronger economy. The nature of our association allows us to bring, without intermediation, the direct experience and sensitivity of us entrepreneurs and our national associations to the highest representatives of European institutions, both officials and politicians, giving a voice to the real needs of our companies.
We face new challenges and strategic priorities.
As far as infrastructure is concerned, the implementation of the projects under the National Recovery and Resilience Plans is crucial. The construction sector is the main beneficiary of such aid in Member States. FIEC's role in monitoring and overseeing developments across different countries is important. The success of the Plans, which finds its main limits in the capacity of national administrations, is fundamental to propose new common EU mechanisms such as the Recovery and Resilience Facility for financing the Union's new goals.
As for the Green Deal, FIEC has supported the European Union's decarbonisation objectives from the very beginning. Our focus now shifts to the practical implementation of these policies, particularly the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Achieving the objectives of the Green Deal must be feasible and realistic. When implementing the rules, it is important to take into due account the specificities of the individual territories; there is much work to be done in implementing this directive, not only in terms of the operational rollout of measures but also regarding the financial instruments at the EU and national level to make it possible. The ambitious goals that have been set make it indispensable to support the less affluent segments of the population, particularly when the extraordinary financial measures implemented post-COVID will no longer be in effect.
The issue of the shortage of housing is also of great social relevance, a problem that affects Europe as a whole. New macro-trends require a rethinking of the models used so far. The concern is felt mostly in large cities where the demand for housing is high. The problem is complex and must be tackled from the various angles of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. The construction sector has the potential to be a key part of the solution, but it requires adequate support to effectively provide a contribution.
Last but not least, I believe it is important for the construction sector to work together with the entire supply chain and with the workers' union, within the framework of the Social Dialogue. Respect for the interests of workers and companies is an essential requirement for the success of our action.
The challenges we face in the coming years are significant. You can always count on my commitment to listen to the needs of our associations, members and partners, and together with the Steering Committee and FIEC staff, we will do everything in our power to effectively represent our Federations and our companies.”
