Cece launched its Manifesto and started raising awareness of construction equipment sector’s needs in the forthcoming European elections
The European Union is the largest trade block in the world. It is the world's biggest exporter of manufactured goods and services, and the biggest import market for over 100 countries. Free trade among its members was one of the EU's founding principles.
The EU construction equipment is one of the key industries for this competitiveness and for future economic growth
With an overall employment of 300,000 and about 1,200 companies, it contributes to all fundamental building and construction projects that provide Europeans with enjoyable places to live, work and thrive. To keep this competitiveness, the sector needs a solid institutional setup from the EU side to champion and defend principles like fair competition, reciprocity and openness on the global stage.
Cece President Enrico Prandini set the scene for the debate during the public event organized to launch the Manifesto: “Pursuing our fundamental goals of raising awareness on our industry and value chain, Cece launches a call to action for the European Elections of May 2019 to ensure that industry and manufacturing are at the heart of EU policy-making during the 2019-2024 legislature”.
This call to action focuses on the EU Single Market, environmental sustainability, international trade and digital transformation.
The Road to 2024 - Cece's Manifesto for the EU legislative term
Fulvia Raffaelli, Head of Unit for Clean Technologies and Products, DG GROW supports Cece’s vision of the construction value chain working together with the European Commission towards the common goal of developing the full construction sector.
Jens Gieseke, MEP, European People’s Party agreed that industry should raise the ambition for a new EU industrial agenda, the process in which Cece wants to be an active player and Reinhard Bütikofer, MEP, European Green Party argued that in order to stay competitive on the global stage, the European industry must become sustainable. Both MEPs agreed that it’s not the time for national industrial policies and strategies, since any European country alone cannot stand up to Chinese or American competition.
Mainstreaming industrial competitiveness, manifested in Cece's call to action, was confirmed by the commitment from Constantin Apostol (Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representation of Romania to the EU), to work towards a competitive, open and fair European market.
Cece strongly advocates that industry and manufacturing should become a top priority in the next EU legislative term. The need for a strategic approach towards an ambitious industrial policy was confirmed by Peter Scherrer, Deputy Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation.
Philippe Citroën, Director General, Association of the European Rail Industry and coordinator of the Industry4Europe coalition firmly believes that the challenges for the EU industry over the next five years will be crucial and can only be tackled with a joint effort between industry and EU institutions.
Cece Secretary General Riccardo Viaggi stated that the launch of Cece’s Manifesto is only the beginning of a long and important work ahead of Cece in the run up to the European elections.
Industry first!
Cece calls on all candidates in the European elections to push for a European Commission mandate that puts Industrial Policy as a priority in their political agenda.