“Taking stock after this unprecedented crisis is essential. The last year exposed vulnerabilities we have to tackle and we have to learn from. Still, the pillars of last year’s strategy remain pertinent”, says Rüdiger Otto, FIEC Vice-President for Economic and Legal Affairs, commenting on the update of the EU’s Industrial Strategy.

FIEC welcomes the fact that the European Commission has put construction among the priority ecosystems when it comes to making the green and digital transitions a reality. Becoming more sustainable and more innovative already makes good business sense for construction companies – it did before and does even more so after the crisis.

A sustainable recovery requires a constant dialogue between policymakers and the central stakeholders of the construction value chain. As a Member of the Industrial Forum of the European Commission, we stand ready to provide our expertise for putting in place targeted actions.

FIEC especially welcomes the approach of further strengthening the Single Market and improving its functioning. Construction is a labour intensive sector and our companies operate across borders. During the crisis, this business model was put at risk. Protecting the free movement of goods, services, capital and workers is essential for construction to remain a stabiliser for the EU economy.

Finally, FIEC also welcomes the development of a common form, in an electronic format, for the declaration of the posting of workers, which will help to reduce the administrative burden for companies.