The European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG), representing the chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industries in Europe, published its position paper on the impact of digital transformation.

Based on its vast experience in sectoral issues such as employment, health and safety, training and lifelong learning, the ECEG believes that a sector-specific position seems imperative.

The position paper comprises a set of three priorities:

• Inclusion of European Sectoral Social Partners in the digital transformation process
• Ensure competitiveness and sound working conditions
• Contribute to a well-skilled workforce in Europe as key factor to EU’s economic and social performance

Hence, the recognised sectoral social partner of European chemical industry decided to take on several actions, such as, to:

• Engage with the European Parliament, Commission and social stakeholders, and promote the European Sectoral Social Dialogue as part of the solution.
• Take an advantage of the social and employment-related impact of digital transformation;

• Stimulate a sectoral discussion at European and national levels in order to raise e-consciousness as well as exchange on future needs regarding re-skilling and re-employing of the existing workforce;
• Contribute to the European Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, together with other stakeholders to tackle the lack of digital skills in Europe and related unfilled vacancies across all industry sectors;
• Pending the approval by the European Commission, set up a tailor made approach to counter above-mentioned challenges and anticipate change for our sector across Europe, by implementing together with our Social Partner industriAll Europe Trade Union the EU-funded project, entitled “The impact of digital transformation and innovation on the workplace: a sector-specific study of the European chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industry in Europe” (VP2016/001/0080).

The ECEG wishes thereby to contribute to a constructive sectoral debate on national and European level in order to shape the social and employment-related implications of digitalisation in favour of a competitive and social European Industry.

ECEG news page:  http://www.eceg.org/newsroom/30/106/ECEG-s-position-paper-on-the-impact-of-digital-transformation

ECEG position paper: http://www.eceg.org/uploads/ECEGs_position_paper_on_the_impact_of_digital_transformation.pdf