GCP Europe
GCP Europe
GCP Europe is the voice of the building services engineering sector, mechanical contractors, plumbers, and HVAC installers.
ID: 495521635656-72
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Eva Schultz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)
14 Nov 2025 · Installers Summit
7 May 2025
Please see the attached document for the Swedish Installation Federation's feedback on the draft delegated act.
Read full responseResponse to Action plan on accelerating Heat Pump market and deployment
26 May 2023
Our organisation represents mechanical contractors, building service engineers, plumbers, and HVAC installers in Europe.
Since the EU is very far from having the workforce needed for an accelerated roll-out of heat pumps, the topic of skilled workers must be taken seriously and not just seen as just one aspect. Actions must be taken and commitments must be made at the highest political level, within and above both the energy and training departments in the Member States and in the Commission. Otherwise, some forces may call for lower ambition, a call which our sector - strongly engaged in the green and digital transition - will not support.
In a situation where Europe cannot afford to lose the current workforce or endure friction, but wants and needs to act quickly toward change, the normal push-and-pull market dynamics are not suitable. Hence, an accelerated roll-out of heat pumps requires new extraordinary, and lasting measures (beyond the usual "gathering of data" and "exchange of best practices") with huge investments that should mainly target the attractiveness of the heat-pump job (1) and the attractiveness of the heat-pump training (2).
1. The attractiveness of the heat-pump job
- A heat-pump job must be made much more financially attractive for the worker (current salaries are above average but far from the best-paying ones in Europe). Innovative financial schemes should be developed, for instance, to pay "green bonuses" to installation companies that would be correlated with the degree to which the energy performance of a building would have been improved by that company. In this way, installation companies would always be incentivised to offer the greenest solutions possible to the benefit of the end-user and of society. Such innovative schemes may require the revision of subsidy/taxonomy/state aid rules.
- A heat-pump job must be also made more socially attractive for the worker. This means that everyone in our society needs to have an improved knowledge and image of the sector. It must be made clear that a heat-pump career is very flexible and dynamic. ("You acquire installation skills rather than becoming an installer.") The job can be physical, technical, intellectual, social, managerial, creative, and a mix of all. The sector should better convey this message but the school system could also help with the financing of more internships. The job will be also made more attractive if it becomes more "nomad-friendly". For people that like seasonal jobs and travel, the standardisation/harmonisation of competencies, and all technical and legal requirements across Europe would help.
2. The attractiveness of the heat-pump training
- Heat-pump training must be also made much more financially attractive for the employers, so it becomes a "no-brainer" for them to send their staff for reskilling and upskilling. In addition to the "green bonuses" for installation companies mentioned above, insurance/compensation schemes for the days off work should be also developed.
- For the (future) worker, training can be made more attractive through "get-paid-as-you-learn" schemes, the financing of modern training centers with curricula on cutting-edge topics (e.g. new refrigerants, smart control systems, repairability, etc.).
It is also important to mention that working/training hours could be actually reduced through:
- Smart use of digitalisation & AI
- Plug & play / installer-friendly / interoperable products
- Requirement on certification of companies
- Access to Data for installers, standardisation of products, certification schemes
Finally, the reputation of the sector must be safeguarded through:
- operational "one-stop shops" (with burden of liability)
- free choice for installers on the renewable technology to choose (not only heat-pumps) and on the brands
- giving as much importance to maintenance as to installation (heat pump “cruise-control system” beyond the "accelerator")
Read full responseResponse to European Year of Skills 2023
14 Dec 2022
EuropeOn and GCP Europe, respectively representing electrical and mechanical contractors across Europe, together represent the professionals skilled to make the green and digital transition happen on the ground, e.g. by installing clean and renewable technologies. We totalise a massive amount of professionals in Europe (for the electrical contracting sector alone: 1.8 million workers). While we expect job creation in our sectors to rise thanks to the Green Deal and due to the pressing shift of paradigm embodied by REPowerEU, we however report worrying difficulties to find candidates. Therefore, we welcome the European Year of Skills. This is a bold yet lucid choice. It is bold because the Commission has limited competence on the matter. But it is very lucid given that an energy-secure and climate-neutral Europe relies on finding the right professionals without delay. The European Year of Skills has the potential to create momentum by putting skills and workforce shortages at the top of Member States agendas. It can generate a positive message: creating sustainable, long-term, local, purposeful jobs in Europe. Indeed, this is not just about up-skilling: we will need to get on board many workers from the next generation and from transitioning sectors. EuropeOn and GCP Europe are calling for the European Year of Skills to clearly focus on: the skills and workers needed to deliver the green and digital transition. More specifically, it should address one key and often overlooked aspect: the lack of priority given to technical careers and education, despite their major impact on the success of the twin transition. Indeed, IRENA estimates that for both solar PV and onshore wind, over 70% of the jobs are located in the activity segments related to installation, operation, and maintenance, which are mostly technical jobs! Across Europe, the same observation is made: technical careers and education suffer from a lack of investment and attractivity, which are intertwined issues that will ultimately jeopardise the Green Deal and REPowerEU objectives as well as economies ability to provide new exciting careers for all. To sum up, EuropeOn and GCP Europe are calling on the Commission to use the European Year of Skills to urge and inspire Member States to promote and incentivise technical careers and education. This could include: - launching a Union-wide awareness campaign on the doers of REPowerEU that could inspire bespoke national campaigns, - gathering Member States, social partners, education institutions, academia, and all relevant stakeholders in a Skills Summit focused on technical careers in the Green Deal and REPowerEU. Both asks are reflected in the Parliaments report on the Energy Efficiency Directive, article 26, adopted last July. Besides, we draw the Commissions attention to another proposal from the Parliament (same report + report on the Renewable Energy Directive, article 18): requiring Member States to regularly assess the gap between available and needed installations professionals. Quantifying the recruitment needs will prepare Member States to take appropriate action and would be a considerable achievement for the European Year of Skills. EuropeOn and GCP Europe are at the Commissions disposal to support any action/event along those lines. We will host relevant events in 2023, e.g. during the EU Sustainable Energy Week and at our Installers Summit in November. Our suggestions are in line with EuropeOns Skills4Climate letter that was co-signed by 18 like-minded associations and sent to President von der Leyen in March 2022 (see annex).
Read full responseResponse to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU
22 Mar 2021
GCP Europe members welcome the proposal for a revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) to foster deep renovations and deliver on the Renovation Wave targets for 2030.
In this context, our members that include European installers and building professionals for building technologies, plumbing, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump equipment, will play a vital role in implementing many of the building renovations that will take place under this initiative.
The crucial role of installers:
Delivering the deep renovations needed will depend on the knowledge and expertise of building professionals, who have the most in-depth knowledge on the design of systems, proper maintenance and operation and who can provide tailor-made solutions to maximise energy efficiency gains and indoor environmental comfort and quality.
Supporting the increasing demand for skills:
Supporting skills and employment strategies will be key elements to meet the climate targets as well as essential to the recovery of the European economy. To create new jobs and to address existing shortages of qualified staff, investments in skills will be necessary.
Smart Readiness Indicator: a binding and harmonised scheme is needed:
While we believe this tool will provide a great benefit for consumers, we regret the missed opportunity of developing a binding and harmonised scheme for the entire European Union. While a certain degree of flexibility is necessary and desirable, GCP Europe advocates for a harmonised tool in order to support its acceptance amongst consumers and minimise market uncertainties.
Mandatory minimum energy performance standards:
GCP Europe supports the Commission’s intention to propose mandatory minimum energy performance standards as part of the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). However, it will be very important to present these standards as a minimum benchmark that should be exceeded and not as a level to merely meet.
Moreover, performing energy audits should be mandatory for the public sector. These audits should be accompanied by a timeline to implement the proposed measures as well as a defined energy performance level to be achieved.
Improvements in indoor environmental quality (IEQ) through mandatory minimum requirements:
In addition to improving the energy efficiency of the buildings stock, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive should also target improvements in indoor environmental quality (IEQ) through mandatory minimum requirements.
Promoting the uptake of smart buildings and technologies:
It is undeniable that digitalisation and technological development will be vital in the decarbonisation of the building stock by enabling functions such as demand-response. At the moment, the definition of a smart building is too broad and there are competing definitions. We believe that to promote their uptake we need to clearly define “smart buildings” in European legislation. While smart buildings are closely linked with energy efficient buildings, the distinction is necessary. Furthermore, smart buildings should not only address the energy consumption of the building itself, but also address its adaptability to the needs of the user, including healthy indoor environmental quality criteria.
It is important that the Commission addresses how to raise awareness and use of more smart technologies and data to achieve an efficient energy performance of buildings. Today, these technologies exist but are unfortunately not always part of the renovation of existing buildings.
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