FIEC - Competitiveness

The construction industry is very important to the EU economy. The sector provides 15 million direct jobs and contributes to about 9% of the EU's GDP. It also creates new jobs, drives economic growth, and provides solutions for social, climate and energy challenges. The European Commission (DG GROW) therefore decided to launch in 2012 an overall strategy, known as "Construction 2020", aiming at helping the sector become more competitive, resource efficient and sustainable.

The main orientations are discussed in a High-Level Forum and specific initiatives are developed within 5 Thematic Groups dealing with : Stimulating investment; Skills & Qualifications; Sustainable use of natural resources; Internal Market; International competitiveness. Various studies on specific topics have also been launched by DG GROW within this framework.

Why FIEC is dealing with this topic
This is the only EU action exclusively focusing on the construction sector and its stakeholders in a holistic manner. It also aims at better coordinating the various responsibilities spread across the different Commission services concerned. Consequently, FIEC and its national Member Federations contributed actively in the High Level Forum and in the various Thematic Groups, as well as in the studies.

Despite all positive results, further improvement is necessary, both concerning the coordination of various Commission services and the choice of priorities. For this reason, FIEC in its Manifesto for the EU legislature 2019-2024 asked for a Commission Vice-President mandated to ensure such coordination.

In parallel, FIEC and their colleagues from other European federations participating in the European Construction Forum developed a set of requests and recommendations for the attention of the new Commission and other EU institutions ("Construction 2050 – Building tomorrow’s Europe today"), with the aim of ensuring a continuation and a better functioning of the initiative.

Actions and key dates
June 2019 - Paper "Construction 2050 – Building tomorrow’s Europe today"
17/06/2020 - High Level Forum Virtual meeting with focus on the Covid-19 crisis

Working Group
Competitiveness/ Sustainability

Piero Petrucco, IT

Working GroupCompetitiveness/ Sustainability

Piero Petrucco, IT

Working Group
Competitiveness/ Sustainability