CESI urges socially sustainable competitiveness agenda for Europe

CESI calls to:

1. ensure sufficient funding for military security and autonomy in Europe, as a basis for economic development, growth and competitiveness;
2. enhance competitiveness through reform, de-bureaucratisation and enhanced use of AI and ICT but reject it as a social deregulation and staff cutting agenda, and welcomes the notion of the Draghi Report that promoting competitiveness should not lead to using wage repression to lower relative costs;
3. reform EU public procurement rules to

·        prioritise EU-made goods and services, supporting European industry;

·        better enable public administrations to run faster and simpler public procurement procedures; which must include clear EU level rules for binding social criteria for fair work in tender procedures;

4. fully integrate European trade union and social partner umbrella organisations into EU economic governance and European Semester consultation mechanisms, ensuring that social dialogue co-shapes social, economic and competitiveness-related policies, involving the constructive voice and experiences of workforces;
5. implement a dialogue with trade unions and social partners to prioritise:

·        an alignment of education and training systems with digital and green transition needs that will determine future needed knowledge, skills and AI- and ICT-related competences in labour markets based on equal opportunities and access;

·        lifelong learning and vocational upskilling, including in public services;

6. on the EU and Member States to recognise well-equipped public services as essential infrastructure are vital to support thriving business environments; urging European policymakers to stress that investments especially in education, professional training, preventive healthcare and public employment services are central as preconditions for employable, skilled, healthy and resilient workforces and thus sustainable economic growth;
7. bring forward public administration modernisation, including though an increased use of ICT and AI, streamlining processes including in the area of digitalisation to increase efficiency – but keeping personalised services on-site as a core component of an available and accessible public sector and ensuring that AI is deployed in socially balanced manners and boost productivity without replacing workers.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “OECD data confirms that countries with strong public services and social dialogue outperform others in long-term economic growth and resilience. Countries with strong social partnerships recover faster from economic shocks and recessions, and regions with higher public investment in infrastructure, digitalisation, and workforce training attract more private-sector investment and maintain long-term growth. We must be vigilant that the EU’s competitiveness agenda is implemented on the basis of these considerations.”