ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

EFCI, the European federation representing the cleaning and facility management industry organised an event recently to present its Manifesto ahead of the European elections of next June. More than 50 guests, including policymakers, representatives of the business community and social partner organisations gathered in Brussels to participate in a presentation of this document, illustrating the points that the industry requires from policymakers to deliver upon in the next EU legislature.  

EFCI president Lorenzo Mattioli opened the event with a detailed presentation of the different points, which included sector-specific issues and considerations that are common to the wider EU business community. These included:

• The recognition of the industry’s contribution to economic development, social integration and employment, in the wider context of the role of labour-intensive services, ensured by the creation of a specific portfolio within the European Commission

• A call for the integration of regular cleaning and sanitising services into the future development of the EU public health and emergency preparedness policies

• A revision of EU public procurement provisions tailored to the specificities of labour-intensive services that includes price-revision mechanisms

• The adoption by policymakers of a new approach to business legislation that supports entrepreneurship and removes unnecessary administrative and regulatory burdens

• Accompanying the transition to greener practices within a different, more business-friendly regulatory context that recognises the efforts made and supports further improvement

• The recognition of the critical role and contribution of cleaning activities in the EU policies on buildings’ energy efficiency and waste reduction

• Reinforcing the political commitment to supporting the EU social dialogue and safeguarding social partners’ autonomy and initiative in the new social policy agenda.

• Enabling the acquisition of new professional skills for all, also via an easier recognition of informal competences and facilitating the access to training opportunities for all, and support increasing the attractiveness of the sector.

Understanding the elections

As the European Union gears up for its next round of elections, scheduled for June 2024, the significance of this democratic process extends far beyond traditional political circles. For industries like cleaning and facility management, actively engaged in shaping policies and regulations, understanding the dynamics of European elections is crucial.

So, how are these elections so impactful on the EU decisional system? How are they organised? At the heart lies the intricate interplay between politics and policy-making in Brussels and in the different EU Member States. The distribution of competences between Brussels and the capitals is complex, and sometimes not univocal. The renewal of the EU Parliament, happening every five years, is the lintel of this complex institutional structure.

In June citizens of the EU member states will elect their national representatives to the European Parliament. Electoral rules vary from country to country, however some basic criteria are common.

Impact on the industry

The results of the elections will impact on the composition of the other main EU institution, the European Commission – the third one, the European Council, is composed of the heads of government of member states and its internal structure therefore does not depend directly on the vote. Based on such results, the European Council will gather in June to identify a president-elect of the European Commission, the executive body of the EU.

The president-elect will then be confirmed by the European Parliament and only after this preliminary approval will they be entitled to present a list of potential candidates to the other posts within the European Commission, each with a distinct portfolio. Finally, after individual scrutiny of all commissioner candidates by MEPs the new Commission must receive another, final and global approval by the Parliament, before it can enter into function.

The new political scenario that will come out of the polls will have an indirect impact on another body, the European Council, whose chair is elected for a permanent mandate of two-and-a-half years. This choice, although not formally, is also dependent on a complex balance influenced by political and geographical considerations and is closely associated with how the nomination to all the other posts is ensured.

But why do these elections matter to the industry? It is difficult to set a specific percentage of how much of the legislation that is applied in our countries is decided or voted upon in Brussels. And navigating the complex web of EU legislation and procedures can often feel like solving a mystery. But understanding how the legislative process works is essential for engaging with policymakers, advocating for industry interests, and influencing policy outcomes.

In brief, the legislative process in the EU typically involves multiple stages, from proposal and negotiation to adoption and implementation. Proposals for new legislation usually originate from the European Commission. A preliminary work of impact assessment is performed and several other mechanisms exist to allow the representatives of societal groups or business express their views on its content.

Crucial five years

Once a finalised version is on the table, it undergoes intense debate and amendment within the relevant parliamentary committees and plenary sessions. Ultimately, legislation must garner majority support from both the Parliament and the Council of the EU to become effective, once again in a complex ‘triangulation’ process where the EU Commission is also involved.

The next five years will be crucial for Europe: with growing fears for the security of the continent, the EU will have to decide on how to continue with the implementation of its main current political initiatives, especially in the field of the Green Deal, while defining new objectives and priorities. In particular, there is a debate about the necessity to reconsider some of the very ambitious environmental targets that have been set.

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