Just transition Archives

Compared to past transitions, the green transition needs to be better planned to leave no one behind, argued Claudia Detsch of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in an interview with EURACTIV.

The Council on the Future of Europe, proposed by now-outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel to solve Poland's rule of law issues, has been paid little attention. But that does not mean those attending have not been busy.

The EU's economic governance must drive climate action for a just transition, not austerity, writes Isabelle Brachet.

As the German elections near, the EU is simultaneously gearing up for the fight over the revision of the dated Works Council Directive. Germany has always been a pioneer of worker’s co-determination, where will its next government stand?

The European Parliament is seeking to put a stop to a perceived decline in workers’ participation in corporate decision-making – an issue that affects 190 million employees across Europe – and bring the European Commission to heel.

The European Commission’s Fit for 55 package will rapidly tighten emission standards for cars, effectively banning the sale of vehicles fitted with internal combustion engines by 2035. German carmakers had preempted the move, but parts suppliers and employees are worried.

Energy poverty could be exacerbated ad prices rise under the European Commission's proposed revamped emissions trading scheme, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has warned, with other stakeholders raising similar misgivings. 

The workers’ groups of the European Economic and Social Committee have seized upon the term “just transition” in a bid to insert their aims for workers’ co-determination into the Commission’s flagship policy, the European Green Deal.

Unambitious coal phase-out policies in central and eastern Europe threaten the just transition in the region and the European Commission should only accept plans that use the just transition fund to develop and diversify local economies for a greener future, writes Alexandru Mustață.

Domestic politics, bureaucratic turf wars, and prosperous regions resistant to quitting coal remain a serious obstacle to meaningful progress on designing just transition plans, despite the involvement of European Commission-funded consultants, and pressing deadlines.

As the EU Green Week kicks off in Brussels, EURACTIV takes a closer look at an essential step towards a net zero emission Europe – the transition away from coal. Armed with the new €17.5 billion-strong Just Transition Fund, the European …

The European Parliament formally approved the European Union's multi-billion euro fund on Tuesday (18 May) to support countries as they wind down fossil fuel industries as part of Europe’s push towards fighting climate change.

Trade unions and other labour supporters are continuing their push for greater worker involvement in company decisions, now labelling this as an effort for “more democracy at work.” They want to see this topic play a larger role on the …

The opportunities that the EU’s new long-term budget and the Recovery and Resilience Fund, totaling €1.8 trillion, offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the EU and Bulgaria, Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms told a mostly Bulgarian audience.

Nearly a year into the coronavirus crisis in Europe, the world of work has changed drastically with more transformation on the horizon. In an interview with EURACTIV, trade union leader Michael Vassiliadis discusses the EU policy agenda from economic recovery to the Democracy Action Plan and responsible supply chains.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has called on EU member states to speed up delivery of their national spending plans in order tap into the EU's €750 billion recovery fund, but concerns have been raised over a lack of transparency on how the money may be spent.

Climate change will be key to the review of the European Central Bank's policy, its president, Christine Lagarde, announced on Monday (25 January), marking a possible shift towards 'greener' monetary policy.

2020 saw the swift transformation of work as an unprecedented amount of people worked from home, while others had to completely change their systems to adapt to the health crisis. Though the end of the pandemic is in sight, certain changes will remain and even accelerate in 2021. 

The EU has set targets for a just transition that leaves no one behind, but inadequate funding and underrepresenting important perspectives could hamper progress.

In-work poverty increased over the last decade in most European countries, with around 12% of workers at risk of poverty, according to the latest report by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

The large-scale social and economic shifts caused by the clean energy transition should be managed with care, write Magnus Tyreman and Hauke Engel. A broad training effort would enable Europe to create a labour force that will thrive during the pursuit of the net-zero emissions target, they argue.

Christa Schweng has served as the President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) since October. She has a vision, but first Europe must get through the coronavirus crisis, protecting both jobs and people.