Ceemet presented its 10 Point Plan for a competitive industry sustaining social Europe ahead of the European elections in 2019.

Brussels, 10 October 2018 – Diego Andreis, Ceemet’s President, presented the contribution of Europe’s Tech & Industry Employers for the next legislature of the European Parliament.

Focusing on 10 big challenges of our time, Ceemet laid the groundwork for a facts-based discussion, offering ideas from the Tech & Industry sector for turning today’s and tomorrow’s challenges into opportunities eventually resulting in a strong European Union.

10 Points that matter for industry employers and workers

The 10 areas identified will, if addressed well, make the EU future-proof as it clearly links the success of the EU to its internationally competitive industry that provides quality jobs.

1.    Debate on the Future of Europe : When discussing how wealth is created, we inevitably come to the role of industry creating that prosperity.

2.    Better regulation : Regulation intended to fix a problem creates certainty and eventually jobs. Politically driven regulation will not.

3.    International competitiveness : An ever more social Union can only be achieved with a healthy industry. It is time to walk the talk as promised in the 2017 Rome Declaration.

4.    Digital industrial era : The new chapter of the EU’s success story requires efficiency and effectiveness of diverse European and national initiatives. Allowing European -funded- ideas being produced and marketed in the EU.

5.    Skills skills skills : The skills need has massively changed and will continue to do so. It is a national competence to have digitally confident teachers and provide digital learning. The European dimension lies within a European 2021-2027 budget dedicating substantial resources to e.g. right-skilling. Industry supports a strengthened cooperation with education providers and share best practices.

“The fear of losing jobs is real and we take it seriously. But truth is, that it is bad education and the lack of skills that cause job losses. We need a change of mindset. Now.” - Diego Andreis, Ceemet President

6.    Agile labour markets : New types of work come together with new concepts of how work is organised. Job creation and the uptake of digitalisation needs room for experimentation.

“We have to protect the future from concepts of the past.” - Uwe Combüchen, Ceemet Director General

7.    Social partners make the difference: Those who are the closest to the employers and workers know best what topics need to be handled. Autonomy and respect for subsidiarity are key regarding sustainable employment.

8.    Investment in tech & industry: Setting up a fully operational ‘one-stop-shop’ for European funding is a win-win-win-win situation. Tackling inefficient structures saves time and money, the investment gap narrows, supports SMEs and star-ups and creates jobs.

9.    Global trade & Brexit: Free and fair trade is the source of wealth and requires the EU to speak with one voice. With an intertwined and complex supply chain and the need of movement of employees, a status quo on trading arrangements between EU27 and the UK – without compromising the Single Market - would be industry’s preferred option.

10.  Consult industry: Consultation with industry should become a natural reflex as the Tech & Industry sector experts serve the purpose of finding solutions of the real economy and its companies.

Digital Europe = Social Europe

A strong Europe can offer visions and solutions that give confidence to citizens, workers and industry. The current challenges require new ideas, turning them into opportunities that nurture confidence.

Digital transformation can only be successfully managed and turned into opportunities in a genuine European effort and become the new chapter of the EU’s success story.

One of the fundaments of stability is maintaining Europe’s unmatched social spending. This largely depends on a European competitive industry that successful transitions to a digitalised economy and society.

Over the past years, Tech & Industry sector has created 1,25 million new, quality jobs. A figure that could increase the coming years with the right-skilled people. This shows that although digitalisation is driven by technological progress the human factor remains at heart of this development.

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About Ceemet

• Ceemet represents the metal, engineering and technology-based industry employers in Europe, covering sectors such as metal goods, mechanical engineering, electronics, ICT, vehicle and transport manufacturing.
• Member organisations represent 200,000 companies in Europe, providing over 17 million direct and 35 million indirect jobs.
• Ceemet is a recognised European social partner at the industrial sector level, promoting global competitiveness for European industry through consultation and social dialogue.

Relevant links

• 10 Point Plan
• Digitalisation and the World of Work
• Digitalisation and the World of Skills & Education
• Chief Economist Report 2018