Depopulation poses a significant challenge for the entire EU, but the cohesion policy offers a solution. By investing in areas like construction, transport, energy, digital and social infrastructure, it aims to improve our lives.
In December 2023, a provisional agreement was reached on a corporate sustainability due diligence Directive, with a primary goal of enhancing human rights protection. This report will examine abusive subcontracting practices and explore additional measures to combat them.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Construction Minister Klara Geywitz voiced optimism on Friday (15 March) that falling interest rates and new tax incentives will revitalise the country’s crisis-shaken construction sector and boost overall economic growth.
In December 2023, EU legislators reached a long-awaited agreement on the recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). FIEC and its Irish President, Philip Crampton, have already taken a closer look at what will become a key legislative text that will shape the European renovation and new construction market for the years to come.
Cement (and its main application, concrete) is very carbon-intensive – but it does not have to be. Safe, scalable, and cost-effective low- and zero-carbon cements exist today but face barriers. Ecodesign can ensure that cement is decarbonised – whether in the CPR, or (more likely) in the ESPR.
High interest rates and a surge in material costs have seen Germany’s pace of construction falter, prompting industry concerns at a time when talks on EU renovation initiatives are stalling.
The European Parliament passed new rules on Tuesday (12 July) to standardise construction products in the EU, amid criticism from the Greens who say the law does nothing to transform the industry.
Buildings do not spring up like trees and flowers. They develop around the people living, working and sheltering in them. A Whole Life Carbon approach uses that shared responsibility to address the climate impact of buildings, a new paper shows.
A reform of the rules governing the EU’s trade in construction products has won crucial backing from the European Parliament’s internal market committee, but with environmentalists complaining it was too soft on industry demands.
The European Union’s construction industry stands at a crossroads: In its transition to a climate-neutral ecosystem, the incumbent industry is worried that organic replacements are given disproportionate support.
EU thinkers and policy makers love to talk about Best Practice. As Europe looks for ways to cut carbon emissions in a circular economy, it is important to remember that “practice” here doesn’t mean rehearsal. It means action.
The European Parliament has voted by a vast majority to adopt a report on protecting workers from asbestos in what has been dubbed a "historic" move.
Cleaning up the construction industry will be one of the major challenges for EU policy over the next decade, given the scale of emissions produced by the sector. Policymakers and industry leaders insist they are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
A coalition of eight European cities – including Madrid, Wroclaw, and Leeds – have pledged to completely decarbonise their existing building stocks by 2050. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.
Construction sites across the globe are developing rapidly as firms seek to take advantage of the technologies of tomorrow. However, the construction industry is the lowest ranked economic sector in terms of digital uptake globally, and more needs to be done, according to a leading EU industry organisation.
Download PDF
In terms of digital uptake, the construction industry is the lowest ranked economic sector in Europe. Following recent calls from those at the heart of the sector, EURACTIV is producing a special report on an oft-overlooked area of EU investment: digitisation in construction.
Norway is getting closer to building the world’s first carbon-free cement plant, a move that could reverberate across the globe as 197 countries meet for the UN's annual climate conference in Katowice, Poland.
The construction sector can cut polluting emissions up to 80% by applying efficiency measures along the whole value chain, according to new research. If combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, emissions could even be brought down to zero by 2050, they argue.
Construction site machinery is responsible for a significant amount of air, noise, and climate pollution yet remains remarkably unregulated. The ongoing recast of the EU Clean Vehicles Directive offers a golden opportunity to address this, writes Mark Preston.
The skylines of so many of our modern cities are truly awe-inspiring. They are the product of incredible engineering, pioneering design, inventive architecture and the use of clever technology.
Have you ever wondered how tall buildings withstand extreme conditions in the heights? Their existence has only been made possible in very recent years, thanks to impressive advances in modern technology.
You may know silicones as the material of your favourite kitchenware or your swimming cap. But did you know silicones play a key role in many aspects of construction?
MEPs must pick between progressive and regressive wings of the cement sector in Wednesday’s vote on the Emissions Trading Scheme, writes James Nix.
France has begun issuing professional cards to construction workers in a scheme that will become compulsory this year. The objective is to combat illegal employment and the fraudulent posting of workers in Europe.
