EBC takes part in the kick-off meeting of the European High-level Strategic Forum for Construction

EBC President, Mr. Calvo Delgado and EBC Secretary General, Mr. Viaggi, participated today in the kick-off meeting of the European High-level Strategic Forum for Construction. The objective of the Forum is to implement and monitor the Construction Action Plan, released in July 2012.
The main points raised by EBC during the meeting provided an answer to what SMEs need to stimulate investments, to develop human capital and to improve resource efficiency in the construction sector.
Five thematic groups will be created on the basis of the five priority areas identified. These groups will meet from March to May 2013 for the first time.

Ensuring SMEs access to public procurement

A business breakfast on public procurement, organised by the Secretariat of EBC, took place this morning in the European Parliament. Roughly 40 persons from several Brussels-based associations and Institutions attended.
In the breakfast, hosted by the rapporteur of the public procurement directive Mr. Tarabella MEP, the guests speakers were Ambassador Thomas Hanney, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU, Klaus Wiedner, from the DG Internal Market of the European Commission and Riccardo Viaggi, who expressed the views of construction SMEs on the most critical aspects of the proposal.

► Please click here to read the press release
► Please click here to read the agenda

EBC replies to the consultation on reduced VAT rates

EBC replied to the public consultation on the review of existing legislation on VAT reduced rates published in October 2012 by the EC. EBC stressed that this measure, permanently approved in 2009 after several years of negotiation and temporary extensions, has proven to work. Therefore, as far as the construction sector is concerned, it is demonstrated that a reduced rate of VAT neither hinders the Internal Market nor is contrary to other European policies. For this reason it dos not need to be reviewed and modified.

Open letter on the compromise amendments on PPD

On the 12th December 2012 EBC sent an open letter to the members of the IMCO Committee  of the European Parliament on the compromise amendments to the Directive on Public procurement, which will be voted on 18th December within the IMCO Committee.
The letter expresses the apprehension of construction SMEs and crafts for the latest developments of this proposal, in particular articles 44 and 56.

International Conference on energy performance of buildings

On 19th November an International Conference on energy performance of buildings took place in Prague.
At the invitation of the EBC Czech member association, SDMSZS, Riccardo Viaggi, EBC Secretary General, took part in the conference speaking about how to support European small builders to fulfil the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), also through the implementation of a workers professional card. Presenting the current situation of other countries as far as such a compulsory card is concerned, he added that no EU-wide project on this is undergoing, but that EBC in the past had proposed this in the framework of fighting illegal economy and policing posting of workers in construction.
In addition, he presented an update on the latest developments of legislation, projects and initiatives concerning energy efficiency in buildings.

► Please click here to see the PPT presentation 

European late payment information campaign

The European Commission is organising a European late payment information campaign in the 27 Member States and Croatia from October 2012 to December 2013. The aim of this campaign is to increase awareness amongst European stakeholders, in particular SMEs, and within public authorities on the new rights conferred by Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payments in commercial transactions. The Member States have to transpose the Directive into national legislation by March 2013.
The next event will be held in Berlin, Germany on 20th November. Among the key speakers, Mrs. Barbara Weiler (S&D/DE), rapporteur in the IMCO Committee.

Below the list of the forthcoming events:

► Vienna, Austria, 6 December 2012 
► Prague, Czech Republic, 13 December 2012 
► Dublin, Ireland, 15 January 2013

Cyprus, 15th November 2012

EBC speaks at the 1st EU SME Assembly in Cyprus on public procurement

Speaking at the 1st European SMEs Assembly on 15th November in Cyprus, Riccardo Viaggi, EBC Secretary General, gave insights and concrete examples how to unlock SMEs’ potential in public procurement markets. The main goal of the seminar on public procurement was to facilitate the direct participation of small and medium enterprises in Public Procurement procedures as much as possible, since SMEs access to public procurement is still insufficient. 

Mr. Viaggi pointed out that SMEs need fair competition, equal treatment, simpler administration and timely payment.

► Click here to read the Press Release

EuroApprenticeship seminar during EuroSkills 2012 

On the 4th October 2012 within the framework of Euroskills 2012 – the biggest European competition of skills – EBC hosted the EuroApprenticeship seminar on mobility of apprentices.
One of the main ideas debated during the round table was the necessity to develop and promote mobility of young workers through a sectorial approach, involving representatives of SMEs at local and national level  to encourage entrepreneurs in undertaking mobility programme by presenting them all the advantages of this concept.
In his opening speech, EBC President Mr Calvo Delgado, underlined the importance of young workers’ mobility for the future of European SME in the construction sector.

► Click here to read the speech of EBC President

Brussels, 17th September 2012

Construction action plan – Europolitics interviews EBC Secretary General, Riccardo Viaggi

In his interview to Europolitics, Mr. Viaggi presented EBC’s opinion about the Construction action plan, released by the European Commission on 31st July.

Stressing that the construction sector is part of the solution to the crisis, Mr. Viaggi warmly welcomed this initiative and its articulation under 5 priorities and called on the Commission to improve the possibilities of SMEs and crafts working together.

► Click here to read the interview (only in French)

Adoption of the Energy Efficiency Directive

The Crafts and SMEs of the construction sector welcome the adoption of the energy efficiency directive today in the Parliament's plenary. There is a huge potential to reduce energy consumption in the buildings sector alone while requiring new qualified and local jobs.

Nevertheless construction crafts and SMEs demand very big attention to article 6.5. This article leaves the relationship between energy distributors and local energy service providers unclear. This is fundamental for construction SMEs in the renovation of buildings.

Thus EBC calls now on Member States to be very careful when transposing the Energy Efficiency Directive into their national legislation!

► Click here for more information

Brussels, 4th September 2012

EuroApprenticeship round table within       EuroSkills2012, Spa

► Click here to read the draft agenda
► For more information about EuroSkills 2012, click here
► For more information about EuroApprenticeship, visit our website

Brussels, 31th July 2012

Construction action plan 
EBC pledges full cooperation with concrete measures in favour of SMEs

On 31th July the European Commission released the Communication on the construction sector action plan. EBC welcomes this strategy focusing on the construction enterprises and assures its support to the Commission’s effort to create a high-level strategic forum.

► Click here to read the press release

Brussels, 2nd July 2012