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European Construction Industry Federation

FIEC

The European Construction Industry Federation represents construction enterprises of all sizes across building and civil engineering, advocating for their economic, social, technical and environmental interests to EU institutions.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Construction services Act

15 Dec 2025

In May 2025, the European Commission announced in the Single Market Strategy that a Construction Services Act to lower barriers to cross-border market access for construction and installation services would be presented. DG Grow, leading the work on this file, published in November 2025 a Call for evidence for an impact assessment, outlining the political context and the different policy options. FIEC welcomes this call for evidence and stresses that: The construction sector cannot be compared to other sectors because of the local nature of the construction activities and the high share of SMEs. A full harmonisation of existing technical standards is not feasible due to differences between Member States. Facilitating the recognition of OSH certificates and professional qualifications should never lead to lower existing standards. FIEC would be strongly against a construction site card imposed from the EU level. Instead, FIEC would welcome a support from the European Commission to better interconnect existing and emerging cards while respecting the existing schemes and taking a bottom-up approach. You can download FIEC full contribution.
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Construction industry seeks tighter controls on foreign infrastructure subsidies

18 Nov 2025
Topic — Review of European rules addressing foreign subsidies that distort the internal market competition.
Message — FIEC proposes lowering notification thresholds to better include major infrastructure projects. They also advocate for clearer definitions and simplified procedures via annual declarations.1
Why — Tighter scrutiny would help eliminate the severe competitive disadvantage currently facing European contractors.2
Impact — Large foreign state-owned firms would lose the ability to win contracts with subsidized bids.3
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European Construction Industry Federation Urges Harmonised Recycling Standards

6 Nov 2025
Topic — EU legislation creating a single market for waste and secondary materials.
Message — FIEC requests uniform EU-wide criteria to clarify when waste becomes a product. They demand financial incentives and tax benefits to boost recycled material demand. The organization also calls for simplified rules to facilitate on-site material reuse.123
Why — Harmonised rules would reduce administrative costs and legal uncertainty for construction firms.4
Impact — Primary material suppliers lose market share due to proposed taxes on virgin resources.5
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Meeting with Barbara Bonvissuto (Director Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

4 Nov 2025 · Participation at the “EU Construction lunch”

FIEC demands simpler EU rules for building emission calculations

31 Oct 2025
Topic — Common EU framework for calculating the life-cycle global warming potential of new buildings.
Message — FIEC calls for a simplified framework that prioritizes high-impact materials. They request digital tools and generic data to reduce the reporting burden. They also want the rules limited to the existing energy directive scope.12
Why — This would significantly reduce the high administrative costs and labor required for compliance.34
Impact — Environmental advocates lose detailed data on the footprint of secondary building infrastructure.56
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FIEC urges faster planning and digital permits for housing

18 Sept 2025
Topic — This strategy aims to support construction supply and close the housing gap.
Message — FIEC requests accelerated zoning and fully digitalized building permit systems. They advocate for an overriding public interest status for housing projects to bypass regulatory delays.123
Why — Digitalization and streamlined planning would reduce administrative burdens and project costs.45
Impact — Environmental groups lose as land protection and nature restoration laws are sidelined.67
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Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

15 Sept 2025 · Housing construction

Meeting with Jana Toom (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

11 Sept 2025 · Subcontracting practices

European construction federation urges practical, low-burden climate resilience rules

4 Sept 2025
Topic — The EU is consulting on a new climate resilience and risk management law.
Message — The federation requests a climate resilience framework that avoids administrative burdens for SMEs. They demand harmonized risk assessments and low-threshold funding to support smaller builders. They also call for coordinated measures to ensure the water resilience of territories.1234
Why — Simplified rules and better risk management would protect construction firms from financial losses.5
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Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

2 Sept 2025 · Water/ Energy Nexus Interaction of Water Efficiency policy and housing policies

Response to Quality Jobs Roadmap

25 Jul 2025

The construction sector is at the heart of Europes green and digital transitions, yet it faces challenges such as labour and skills shortages, ageing demographics and lack of attractiveness. EBC stresses the need for a realistic, flexible, and sector-sensitive approach for the Quality Jobs Roadmap. With 94% of construction companies being micro enterprises, any future roadmap must reflect the specific dynamics of the sector. Four main key messages: 1. A one-size-fits-all definition of quality jobs at EU level does not reflect sector and Member State differences. The Quality Jobs Roadmap should allow adaptation, respecting construction-specific realities, especially for micro companies already facing labour shortages. A rigid or narrow definition of quality jobs risks further reducing the attractiveness of the sector at a time when it plays a key role in achieving Europes green and digital transitions. 2. As major changes are already underway in EU legislation supporting a greener and more digital construction sector, priority should focus on implementing and enforcing existing rules rather than introducing new ones. Economic and legal stability are crucial for job quality, especially for micro and small enterprises, which often face challenges with complex compliance and limited capacity for investment due to constrained human and financial resources. 3.Strengthening social dialogue and collective bargaining is essential for shaping policies that reflect the realities of the construction sector. To achieve this, sectoral representatives must be supported in building their capacity to engage in social dialogue at local, national, and European levels. In the construction sector, where the majority of companies are micro enterprises, an inclusive approach is vital to ensure that these essential actors are duly represented by social partners at all levels. 4.The success of the twin transition in construction depends on a parallel investment in skills and training. To meet growing technical and environmental requirements, the sector must equip its workforce with the right competences. This requires targeted support for vocational education, apprenticeships, and upskilling programmes tailored to construction. This is particularly important for micro companies and SMEs, which are central actors when it comes to training and local jobs (e.g. through apprenticeships across Europe). Persistent structural labour shortages, an ageing workforce, and limited attractiveness to younger generations and women are putting increasing pressure on construction companies, particularly micro enterprises. Meanwhile, the cross-sectoral competition for skilled workers adds to the urgency. These efforts will not only address labour shortages but also change perceptions of the sector and attract a more diverse and younger workforce. The Commission should offer concrete guidance and share good practices with national and local actors.
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Response to Revision of the Standardisation Regulation

21 Jul 2025

The European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) acknowledges that European standardisation legislation is playing a crucial role in the functioning of the internal market. The Standardisation Regulation establishes the framework for how European standards are developed and how public and private stakeholders collaborate. Key elements of the regulation include open and transparent procedures, active involvement of SMEs and societal stakeholders, and a market-driven standardisation process that applies to both products and services. The revision of the Standardisation Regulation is therefore highly relevant for the construction sector as it relies heavily on European standards. The attached document provides remarks that take a general look at the upcoming Standardisation Regulation review.
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Meeting with Mehdi Hocine (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

11 Jul 2025 · Discussion with FIEC regarding the EU Construction Services Act

FIEC urges CO2 shadow pricing for industrial decarbonisation

8 Jul 2025
Topic — The Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act aims to speed up EU green investments.
Message — FIEC suggests using a CO2 shadow price to evaluate CO2 lifecycle emissions in tenders. They insist that the labelled product must be the one directly procured by contractors. Any green premium paid for low-carbon products must be transparently reinvested into decarbonisation.12
Why — This approach lowers administrative costs and maintains a level playing field for firms.3
Impact — Prospective homeowners will likely see prices rise as material production costs increase significantly.4
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Meeting with Per Clausen (Member of the European Parliament) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

10 Jun 2025 · Project conference - Reception - Social Identity Cards In Construction (SIDE-CIC)

Construction industry federation urges inclusion in EU AI Strategy

3 Jun 2025
Topic — This initiative aims to accelerate industrial progress and adoption of trustworthy AI.
Message — The federation requests that the construction sector be included among key sectors. They highlight its importance for coordinating worksites and achieving the decarbonisation goal.123
Why — This inclusion would facilitate the deployment of digital modeling and infrastructure maintenance.45
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Response to European Affordable Housing Plan

3 Jun 2025

Dear Madam, dear Sir, Please find enclosed the contribution from FIEC, the European Construction Industry Federation. Best regards, Christine Le Forestier
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Meeting with Matthew Baldwin (Deputy Director-General Energy) and European Builders Confederation and

2 Jun 2025 · Housing, homelessness, social housing, sustainability, short term rental accommodations, construction

Meeting with Ralph Schmitt-Nilson (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs) and Mouvement des Entreprises de France and Fédération Nationale des Travaux Publics

16 Apr 2025 · FNTP, Clean Industrial Deal, in connection with the challenge of decarbonising infrastructure, as well as the reform of the public procurement directives.

Meeting with Mirka Janda (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto) and Water Europe and

15 Apr 2025 · Water sector

Meeting with Dirk Gotink (Member of the European Parliament) and Union Internationale de la Propriété Immobilière - International Union of Property Owners

8 Apr 2025 · Housing - APA

Response to Foreign Subsidies Guidelines

1 Apr 2025

Over the past decade, the European construction sector has faced increasing competition from third-country bidders, in particular State-Owned Enterprises from China, which have secured major public infrastructure contracts in the European Union by submitting what seem to be abnormally low bids that no private company would be able to put forward. This trend has put European private contractors at a significant disadvantage as they struggle to compete with enterprises from countries, which have not opened their markets for enterprises from the European Union, and often benefiting from foreign state support which, until the adoption of the European Union`s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), went unchecked. While such enterprises may be excluded from procurements in the European Union, such decisions are still rare, which has significantly opened the European public procurement market to third-country bidders from, economies which do not reciprocate this openness. This imbalance raises concerns about market access, fair competition, and the need for effective enforcement mechanisms. While FIEC supports the objectives of the FSR, we believe that several aspects of its implementation need to be refined to ensure a more effective, proportionate and enforceable regulatory framework. In particular, we highlight concerns regarding notification thresholds, the definition of foreign subsidies, procedural clarity and the length of review periods. The following recommendations attached outline practical improvements that could enhance the effectiveness of the FSR while reducing legal uncertainty and administrative burdens for both enterprises and contracting authorities:
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Meeting with Katharina Knapton-Vierlich (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

11 Mar 2025 · Working Group Housing

Construction industry urges fairer competition and strategic procurement rules

7 Mar 2025
Topic — The European Commission is evaluating current public procurement and concession contract directives.
Message — FIEC calls for clearer rules on third-country bidders and stricter enforcement against abnormally low tenders. They recommend restricting EU funding to European companies and making price revision mechanisms mandatory to handle inflation.123
Why — These changes would shield European firms from unfair competition and financial volatility.45
Impact — Third-country companies without reciprocal access agreements would be excluded from EU-funded contracts.6
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FIEC demands dedicated EU fund for water infrastructure maintenance

4 Mar 2025
Topic — The EU is developing a strategy to manage water scarcity and infrastructure.
Message — FIEC proposes a dedicated EU Water Fund for network maintenance and renewals. They advocate for a holistic Blue Deal while avoiding excessive new regulations.12
Why — Increased investment would boost revenues for construction firms by funding large-scale infrastructure projects.3
Impact — Environmental advocates may see policy progress slowed by industry calls for deregulation.4
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Meeting with Silke Brocks (Acting Head of Unit Mobility and Transport)

17 Feb 2025 · Discussion the new maintenance provisions of the TEN-T Regulation (Art. 48 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1679

Meeting with Katharina Knapton-Vierlich (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

30 Jan 2025 · Exchange of views on the construction policy of the new mandate with a focus on the European Affordable Housing Plan, to which FIEC has submitted a position paper that constituted the basis for the exchange.

Meeting with Andrey Novakov (Member of the European Parliament)

29 Nov 2024 · Construction and Infrastructure

Meeting with Dominique Riquet (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Feb 2024 · Politique des transports

Response to 2024 Evaluation of the European Labour Authority

5 Jan 2024

FIEC is the European Construction Industry Federation, which through its 32 national member associations in 27 countries (24 EU countries, Norway, Switzerland, and Ukraine) represents construction companies of all sizes, i.e., small, and medium-sized enterprises and "global players", carrying out all forms of building and civil engineering activities. Since the establishment of ELA in 2019, FIEC has been involved in the Authoritys activities, in particular on the free movement of workers, the posting of workers and the coordination of social security, as on the fight against undeclared work. In its answer to the call for evidence, FIEC would like to highlight some points regarding ELA's activities.
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Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and

30 Nov 2023 · Clean Transition Dialogue on Energy Intensive Industries

Meeting with Róża Thun Und Hohenstein (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

16 Nov 2023 · Combating Late Payments Regulation

Meeting with Beatrice Covassi (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and European Environmental Bureau and

15 Nov 2023 · Public Hearing - Soil Monitoring Law

European construction industry seeks financial rewards for soil restoration

27 Oct 2023
Topic — Proposed EU law defining healthy soil conditions and rules for sustainable restoration.
Message — Firms should only transmit data when their activities strictly require it. The federation also requests financial incentives for costs associated with soil improvement.12
Why — This would lower administrative burdens and provide compensation for expensive renaturalisation projects.34
Impact — Public authorities may face data gaps if private sector reporting is restricted.5
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Response to Communication on maximising the potential of talent mobility as part of the European Year of Skills

12 Oct 2023

FIEC is the European Construction Industry Federation, which through its 32 national member associations in 27 countries (24 EU countries, Norway, Switzerland, and Ukraine) represents construction companies of all sizes, i.e., small, and medium-sized enterprises and "global players", carrying out all forms of building and civil engineering activities. FIEC recognises the importance of focusing on labour mobility, as a mean to attract qualified workforce in the European Union. In this regard, the recognition of qualifications and validation of skills gained in non-EU countries can facilitate labour migration and integration of migrants workers in the society. In the construction industry, where there are strong skills mismatches, the recognition of qualifications, and moreover a better exchange of information, can favour a better alignment between the skills of a worker and the job he can be offered. Furthermore, FIEC welcomes measures that can reduce the administrative burdens and costs for employers when hiring third country nationals.
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Response to EU financing instrument to support Ukraine

5 Sept 2023

FIEC and EIC commends the unprecedented support of approx. 76 billion Euro provided by the EU, MS and European financial institutions for Ukraine since the beginning of Russias war of aggression. We are supportive of the proposed financing instrument, and we welcome Art. 3(2) to help Ukraine to rebuild and modernise infrastructure damaged by the war and to repair, rebuild and improve social infrastructure. However, we express our reservations against certain technical details of the proposed Regulation, relating specifically to eligibility and public procurement. These reservations are outlined in the file attached to our feedback.
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EU construction federation seeks flexible taxonomy for recycled materials

2 May 2023
Topic — A consultation on classifying sustainable economic activities for the EU's environmental investment taxonomy.
Message — The federation requests flexible exemptions for using recycled materials based on local availability. They also advocate for including bridges and tunnels in road maintenance definitions. Finally, they insist that national assessment tools remain valid for demonstrating project sustainability.123
Why — This allows companies to avoid supply shortages and manage the fragmented construction supply network.45
Impact — Rigid rules could stall the production of affordable housing and energy-efficient building renovations.67
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Meeting with Christine Schneider (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie and Fédération Nationale des Travaux Publics

28 Mar 2023 · nature restoration

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

16 Mar 2023 · CMRD6

Construction industry urges tougher rules on foreign subsidies

3 Mar 2023
Topic — This consultation sets out procedures for applying the regulation on distortive foreign subsidies.
Message — The sector urges the Commission to quickly implement rules for ex officio investigations. They want to reverse the burden of proof for companies from non-market economies. Additionally, they suggest the balancing test should consider all possible negative impacts.123
Why — European contractors would face fairer competition against heavily subsidized international competitors.4
Impact — Subsidized firms from non-EU countries would lose their unfair advantage in public tenders.5
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Meeting with Ciarán Cuffe (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS and European Builders Confederation

22 Feb 2023 · Speaker at event: Construction Blueprint project / The skills needed to implement the Renovation Wave

FIEC Urges Flexible EU Rules for Building Asbestos Screening

8 Feb 2023
Topic — Legislative initiative addressing health and environmental risks from asbestos exposure in buildings.
Message — Clients should bear responsibility for screening and receive financial incentives. Member States should manage registration systems to ensure a flexible framework.12
Why — Construction firms would avoid the financial and technical burdens of screening.3
Impact — Homeowners and project owners would face the costs and responsibility for inspections.4
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Meeting with Marina Mesure (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for opinion) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

1 Feb 2023 · Amiante

Meeting with Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

6 Dec 2022 · Asbestos at work directive

Meeting with Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Fédération Française du Bâtiment

1 Dec 2022 · Asbestos at work directive

Response to European Critical Raw Materials Act

25 Nov 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to global supply chains, with several contractors experiencing delays in the delivery of products. The ongoing war in Ukraine has further strained the supply of certain construction materials in Europe and price increases for construction materials are being observed across all EU Member States. As a result, several contractors have serious difficulties coping with supply shortages of certain construction materials, with many at risk of not being able to fulfil contractual obligations. In addition, supply-side disruptions have a negative impact on production levels, potentially slowing down construction works. Therefore, FIEC welcomes the Commissions consultation for a Critical Raw Materials Act, considering it of vital importance to strengthen the EUs supply chains for raw materials, in particular those necessary for the manufacturing of construction products (cement, steel, insulating materials, etc.). FIEC calls upon the European Commission take into account the following points: (1) Considering that several Member States are facing shortages of certain raw materials that have not been classified as critical at the EU level, and therefore increasing their dependence on third countries to cover demand needs, the scope of the CRM Act should also include raw materials of strategic interest from a national perspective. (2) Considering there are not enough metal ores and minerals in the circular flow to cover our future needs, the CRM Act should incentivise the recycling of secondary and raw materials. In addition to the obvious environmental benefits, such a step would help improve the resilience of the EU industry and the competitiveness of our companies.
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Meeting with Seán Kelly (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

25 Oct 2022 · The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

Meeting with Helena Braun (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and European Aluminium AISBL and

20 Oct 2022 · circular economy and construction sector

Response to Review of the Construction Products Regulation

9 Jul 2022

FIEC wishes to thank the European Commission for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposal for a revised Construction Products Regulation. FIEC will analyse the proposal in more detail in the coming weeks. For now, it would like to draw the Commission’s attention to the points listed below. Detailed comments can be found in the attached file. 1. The Regulation’s scope has been significantly extended and now covers the whole construction value chain. Significant administrative and financial burdens are to be expected for both economic operators that must “comply” with the CPR (manufacturers, distributors, and importers) and “users” of the information related to construction products provided through the CPR (e.g., contractors). Circularity and innovation efforts of the sector could be delayed. 2. Two parallel systems, created by a very long transition period, would co-exist for a long time, and the proposal lacks short-term or interim solutions to resolve the long-standing backlog in the citation of standards. 3. The multiplication of delegated and implementing powers conferred on the Commission and the range of areas covered by these powers is a serious source of concern. 4. Considerable resources will be needed for the implementation of the new Regulation. 5. Many definitions, obligations and provisions foreseen in the proposal lack clarity and could lead to legal uncertainty if left unchanged. 6. Some elements (improved 'informative value' of the CE marking, digital solutions) are to be welcomed if certain conditions are met.
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Meeting with Dominique Riquet (Member of the European Parliament) and Inland Navigation Europe

21 Apr 2022 · Infrastructures de transport

Response to Protection of workers from risks related to exposure to asbestos at work

22 Mar 2022

Please find enclosed the contribution from FIEC, the European Construction Industry Federation.
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Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

3 Mar 2022 · Minimum wage proposal, Platform work proposal, Labour shortages, Right to Request Remote Working Bill, Social dialogue.

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

16 Dec 2021 · social ID, Esspass

Response to Social and labour aspects of the climate transition

18 Nov 2021

Please find enclosed the FIEC contribution to the current consultation.
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Meeting with Nikolaj Villumsen (Member of the European Parliament) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

13 Oct 2021 · Morgenbrief: Towards digital enforcement for the construction industry

Response to Revision of the Machinery Directive

6 Aug 2021

Machinery Directive – revision FIEC comments on the proposed revision FIEC, the European Construction Industry Federation, welcomes the revision of the Machinery Directive, which takes into account recent technological developments. These new aspects such as hazardous substances and cybersecurity are particularly welcome. Regarding the notion of substantial modification, FIEC considers that this concept will create multiple interpretations and only a change of specific application shall be considered as a substantial modification. The digital modification/update of safety devices and the installation of safety devices which lead to an increase of the safety level of the machine) shall not be considered as substantial modifications and shall not require the intervention of a third party. For machinery embedding AI systems ensuring safety functions, the machinery shall have additional CE marking. So it will be necessary to clarify what will be the process for the end-user. FIEC thinks that clarifications are required regarding EU declaration of conformity (digital devices especially) and the timetable for the application of this provision must be specified and clearly defined. Moreover, it should be noted that storing all data for five years is a real economic and organizational challenge for the end-user during the lifetime of the machinery. The question is therefore to ensure how that market surveillance and national authorities will be able to check, in all situations, the traceability of machinery safety. At least, it is crucial to ensure in practice the availability of the key document of the machinery during all its lifetime and all successive uses in different construction sites (through an updated website for instance). 6 August 2021
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Response to Standardisation Strategy

30 Jul 2021

Our feedback is contained in the attachment.
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Meeting with Nikolaj Villumsen (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

23 Apr 2021 · Asbest

Response to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU

19 Mar 2021

STARTING POINTS As yet, there is no evidence of success in terms of the 20-20-20 targets under the existing EPBD. FIEC understands the need to revise the EPBD to ensure alignment with the Climate Law. However, there is evidence, in the report "Lessons on the proportionality of the implementation of the EPBD directive 2010", undertaken by the Economic institute for construction and housing, of an increased burden for construction companies, created by the last revision and therefore we ask for measures to be proportionate and to ensure that the return in terms of impact, is worth it. It is clear that some further harmonisation will be necessary, as there are wide variations in implementation by the Member States. This also has a negative impact on comparability. There is a need to improve the link to circularity. The new EPBD needs to include measures to address circularity, albeit bearing in mind the challenges we face – amongst others, the lack of standards, lack of availability of such materials, toxicity, fire and safety issues. A holistic approach to renovation – and to the energy performance issue itself - is extremely important. Although the directive is about energy efficiency, buildings must be structurally safe, accessible, comfortable etc. Material neutrality must be maintained. Specific materials and technologies cannot be prescribed. This must be selected by the designer, client and construction actors involved in the building or renovation process. SPECIFIC TO EPBD REVISION There are significant problems with Energy Performance Certificates. FIEC will come forward with possible solutions in the near future, but in the meantime, we note the following: • Auditors (preparing the EPC) do not always visit a property to conduct the evaluation of the energy performance for the EPC. This has to be changed. • Owners are under no obligation to carry out a renovation, following the EPC, but even if they were, the kind of renovation that is needed to significantly improve performance (namely a deep renovation), is often too expensive, with a long wait before any return on investment. • There is inadequate – and varying degrees of - control of the quality of audits in the different Member States and therefore, the accuracy and validity of EPCs. • There is some confusion between renovation passports and digital log books, both European Commission initiatives. Renovation passports seem to be related more to existing buildings and the kind of renovation that needs to be done (in detail.). This passport can then be used to track the renovation and can be used for the future (e.g. to determine what materials were used in the renovation.) On the other hand, digital log books seem to be for new buildings. FIEC supports both but confusion between these two passports need to be resolved. NB: Companies still only talk about BIM, not these passports. • As many countries do not maintain databases of EPCs, this could be a new measure under the revised EPBD. This could also be linked to a central EU database. • The revision could look at improving comparability, e.g. via the EU database mentioned above, but also by harmonising e.g. the methodology/calculation method and other aspects (requirements of auditors and other things mentioned above). • EPBD could look at how Member States are treating different buildings (e.g. new and existing/public and private) and look at potential harmonisation of these aspects. FIEC supports the whole life carbon approach to the reduction of emissions from buildings. We will look carefully at the proposals for C02 pricing. Public sector buildings should be tackled quickly and that renovation of these buildings could stimulate the rest of the market. Therefore, the public sector should take the lead. FIEC welcomes the proposal for a deep renovation standard. Stakeholder involvement is absolutely necessary, in terms of setting minimum performance requirements and material recovery targets.
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Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy

18 Dec 2020

In the attached paper you can find FIEC’s assessment of the draft delegated act on climate change mitigation with regard to construction activities. We identified potential risks for the draft delegated act to be in contradiction with core principles guiding the development of technical screening criteria. Moreover, we identified several issues regarding the usability of criteria. As a member of the TWG in the Platform on Sustainable Finance, entrusted with the preparation of the next delegated acts, we especially want to ensure the usability of DNSH criteria as these might be used for the coming delegated acts.
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Response to Revision of Regulation on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T)

18 Dec 2020

FIEC very much shares the assessment that was made with regard to the problems which have to be resolved. We very much welcome that the focus lies on the contribution of high-quality infrastructure to the mitigation of climate change as its role is often neglected with the emphasis being put on the vehicles that are using the infrastructure. We especially appreciate that the deterioriation of infrastructure assets has been taken into account. Among the proposed policy measures FIEC strongly supports the adjustment of existing and the introduction of new infrastructure quality requirements. While the quality of road and railway bridges as crucial connecting points deserves particular attention, we support setting adjusted or additional requirements for all kinds of infrastructures as well as their extension to the comprehensive network. FIEC is thus in favor of a policy approach which puts the emphasis on infrastructure quality. The Revision should aim for establishing the TEN-T as a precursor for best in class infrastructure as the network comprises transport links of an undeniable socio-economic importance. Infrastructure requirements should therefore correspond to the highest quality levels. Provisions in the Regulation could for instance require that the state of the respective TEN-T infrastructure section/asset corresponds to the best class/grade in the respective national rating system. Where this is not the case, a time frame should be given during which the Member State has to achieve that state. While setting of ambitious quality requirements will be an important step, an effective monitoring and implementation of infrastructure requirements is even more crucial. Therefore, sufficient knowledge about the state of the entire network needs to be acquired to target interventions. Regular inspections should be prescribed in accordance with the socio-economic importance of the TEN-T. These inspections should help determining and supervising the state of the infrastructure. The results should feed in an upgraded Tentec where they will be measured against the mandatory requirements. National approaches such as the interactive map on railway bridges of the German Railway Company could provide inspiration for upgrading the Tentec. Transpareny about the state of the TEN-T infrastructure will be key to target investments. Regarding the economic impacts, we would like to highlight that the rapid completion of major infrastructure projects would support the recovery from the economic crisis. Regarding the environmental impacts, an approach based on preserving the quality of infrastructure by triggering maintenance operations would contribute to the transition to a more circular economy by extending the lifetime of assets. Neglecting maintenance leads to the rapid deterioration of an asset up to a point where a demolition or reconstruction is required. Maintaining the quality of assets thus contributes to the reduction of raw material use.
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Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

27 Nov 2020 · High Level Roundtable - Skills for the Construction Sector

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

27 Nov 2020 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the construction sector.

Response to Sustainable Products Initiative

29 Oct 2020

These are the comments from FIEC, European Construction Industry Federation, on the Road Map on the Sustainable Products Policy Legislative Initiative. First and foremost, this initiative must not duplicate or be incompatible with the Construction Products Regulation in particular, but also with other relevant existing legislation. We would also like to stress that construction products should remain outside the scope of the Ecodesign directive. Sustainability performance for construction products should be handled under the Construction Products Regulation. This is already dealt with in part and further measures covering circularity are being considered as part of the revision of the CPR. Finally, construction products are intermediary products and therefore not the same as consumer products. Although they are occasionally purchased by consumers, they are installed in a building, which is a system comprising many other construction products. These products are rarely “stand alone” and are more frequently purchased by contractors and installers. This should be taken into account in any new legislative initiative on product policy.
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Meeting with Rozalina Petrova (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

14 Sept 2020 · To discuss the Circular Economy Action Plan and future EU initiatives related to the construction sector.

Response to Review of the Construction Products Regulation

27 Jul 2020

FIEC welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Inception Impact Assessment and the possible future options outlined for the CPR. The federation will submit a full response to the consultation on the future options and with this short feedback comments only on some issues raised in the Inception Impact Assessment. Problem the initiative aims to tackle: FIEC broadly agrees with the problems outlined in the document. However, we would like to highlight the following: • FIEC strongly agrees with the need to remedy contradictions and overlap with other EU legislation and the need to clarify the meaning of the CE marking. • Referring to the scope and objectives of the regulation and the role of the pivotal actors in the CPR system, FIEC asks that contractors are specifically excluded from the scope of the regulation, unless they are placing products on the market. The latter case needs to be better defined and the ambiguity that currently results in wide and incorrect interpretation of “placing on the market” must be eliminated so that contractors are no longer asked to CE mark when this is not necessary under the existing scope of the CPR. • Although the EOTA route has been increasingly used while there have been problems with the harmonised standardisation system, this does not mean that the EOTA route has only been useful as an alternative during this time. The EOTA route is a valuable route in itself, for placing innovative products on the market. FIEC has identified points in the roadmap which cannot be agreed upon fully: • National marks and certification related to the fitness for use of construction products in construction works are a necessary regulatory addition at national level (or sometimes as market driven private schemes), which following the principle of subsidiarity the European Commission should not prevent, as its sole responsibility is the placing on the market of construction products. • FIEC wants to highlight that the European Commission cannot be better served than by CEN/CENELEC. The insufficient quality of harmonised standards from the European Commission’s point of view is also the result of a clash of principles between European standardisation and regulation, that needs to be resolved in a future CPR on the basis of effective cooperation between the European Commission and CEN/CENELEC. Objectives and Policy Options: FIEC will reserve its final comment on the options for the consultation opened for this purpose, deadline 31 August 2020. However, at this stage we can say that FIEC has always supported a targeted revision of the CPR, aimed not at radically overhauling the entire CPR and standardisation system, but at improving the parts of the regulation that have resulted in misunderstanding, misinterpretation and legal uncertainty. With regards to the options presented by the European Commission FIEC believes that the proposed options A to E all have significant weaknesses and that none of them are really convincing from the point of view of the contractors. We are therefore considering proposing an alternative option in our answer to the consultation. Data Collection and Better Regulation Instruments: FIEC strongly agrees that the main target in this regard should be the industry stakeholders. Whatever dialogue, initiated by the European Commission, is taking place now and in the future, the stakeholders should be central to that process. Finally, FIEC maintains its request for short term solutions in the period from now until the adoption of a new/revised regulation on construction products. The problems the industry is facing cannot continue for the foreseeable future, in the absence of a long term solution. Short term solutions must be found and this requires a flexible and pragmatic approach from the European Commission.
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Response to Digital Education Action Plan

14 Jul 2020

FIEC fully agrees that the COVID-19 crisis accelerated the digital transition and that this period has allowed to experience the advantages and disadvantages of online education and training. On the basis of this involuntary experience, today, we are more aware in confirming that: - It is necessary to ensure that everyone has the minimum IT infrastructure support to provide and receive education and training in order to overcome technological inequalities. In this respect, the European Union must raise the awareness of the Member States, encourage and support national measures, in particular through the Structural Funds, leaving aside funding programmes such as Erasmus, Horizon, etc, which can serve to enrich but not to support. - It is necessary to implement digital skills (knowledge and skills of the digital world) in education and training, to redesign classroom learning into remote learning, depending on the target audience. In this respect, it is important not to penalise PRACTICAL training which is very important for vocational education and training in the construction sector and which can only be PARTIALLY replaced by digital training. In this context, it is important to review and enhance the role of tutors. - It is necessary to guarantee IT security and privacy. - It is also necessary to take care of the health and safety aspects that are neglected but have important implications for work, training and digital education.
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Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Stefanie Hiesinger (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

25 Jun 2020 · Implementation of the European Green Deal for the construction industry

Response to Commission Communication – "Renovation wave" initiative for the building sector

8 Jun 2020

Context • Rather than “buildings” as written, it is the energy consumption of buildings that is indispensable for reaching the EU’s carbon neutrality, energy efficiency and renewable energy objectives. (To be precise.) • “Renovation of buildings reduces running costs”. This depends on the kind of renovation. Not all renovations are for energy efficiency and it is those that help to reduce running costs. Problem the initiative aims to tackle • In its last position on EPBD, FIEC called for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) not to be linked to financial support as they are not consistent across the EU. I would like to make this point again. What does the initiative aim to achieve and how? • “Standardisation” of renovation methods. There is no one-size fits all renovation”. Again this point was made in our last position on EPBD. • We support public sector and public buildings leading by example. Additional comments • Incentives foreseen in the “Renovation Wave” Economic incentives must be extended beyond the housing sector to include commercial and industrial property • The public sector as an owner of many buildings needs to be a role model for increased energy efficiency and lead by example by laying down an ambitious roadmap for renovating the public buildings stocks • The inclusion of building stocks in the portfolio approach must be made possible in order to also include properties that are difficult to renovate for energy reasons. Portfolio eligibility would provide an incentive to over-fulfil energy efficiency targets with "simple" building types if they could be used to compensate for more complex building types. • Serial renovation should be promoted to reap the benefits of economics of scale when in comes to renovation – this is a beneficial approach for large portfolio owners • The scope of what is technically possible has remained relatively unchanged for several years, while at the same time no improvement in the rate of refurbishment has been achieved. In future, special attention must therefore be paid to the obstacles and the resulting further development of technical innovation, economic incentives, and attractive new business models • Raising awareness and public relations work to communicate the consequences of CO2 pricing and other measures to decrease the use of fossil fuels , so that owners can make educated decision on the costs and benefits for the renovation projects of their buildings – one proven measure that needs to be extended is the energy counselling for owners • Innovative business ideas should be further developed and supported, examples are to form more comprehensive service packages, supporting serial refurbishment and industrialized processes and approaches to renovation as well as contracting models for financing. Also attached is a document from our Belgian member federation, the contents of which are in line with FIEC's views.
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Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

23 Apr 2020 · How building renovation can contribute to post covid-19 recovery, how to get renovation projects off the ground, how to remove regulatory obstacles and improve advice.

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

20 Apr 2020 · Follow-up call on the crisis’ impact on the built environment sector

Response to Construction Products – AVCP systems for balustrade kits and railing kits to prevent falls

9 Jan 2019

FIEC cannot support the Draft Delegated Decision for the following reasons: 1. The scope is that of kits but no precise definition is given to know what this covers. The definition in the CPR is very broad ("" kit ", a construction product marketed by a single manufacturer in the form of a set of at least two separate components that need to be assembled to fit into the construction works') and the eventual widening of the field of application, to all types of guardrails cannot be excluded. We have already seen this for other standards and would prefer to avoid any ambiguity in this case. 2. The main problem of railings is the safety of people. The Commission has not clarified whether this feature is subject to a pass / fail assessment. In this context, what will be the classes or values to declare to justify the safety of people? One railing cannot be safer than another. The principle of the CPR is to declare performance values; this principle cannot be applied to properly deal with guardrails unless the Commission makes it clear that a pass / fail may be appropriate.
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Meeting with Alessandro Carano (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc)

17 Oct 2018 · procurement in infrastructure construction issues

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen), Ruth Paserman (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

5 Sept 2016 · Services Passport

Meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker (President)

5 Jun 2015 · Speech: Overview of the Commission's Political Priorities

Meeting with Marianne Thyssen (Commissioner) and

17 Apr 2015 · Labour mobility and social protection in the EU construction sector

Meeting with Violeta Bulc (Commissioner) and

13 Apr 2015 · Meeting Commissioner Bulc

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

8 Jan 2015 · Labour mobility