Engineering Europe n° 20 - 2024
EFCA - European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations
EFCA is the only federation to represent the engineering consultancy industry in Europe.
Golden nuggets from the Commissioners' hearings
EFCA has been following closely the hearings of Commissioners-designates in the European Parliament, and the proposals that concern our sector are more than encouraging. There is a strong promise from Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Transport) to speed up the roll-out of?TEN-T and extend it to some of the neighbouring countries. Moreover,?TEN-T is to be complemented by a high-speed rail network between EU capitals, and a military mobility action plan, focusing on the dual use of main transport corridors. "There can be no (green) transition without transmission" was one of Dan J?rgensen’s (Energy and Housing) main messages, referring to the need for extended and smarter energy infrastructure – something that the European engineers can only agree with. While Mrs. Roswall’s (Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy) approval vote is still pending, we were happy to hear her commitment to “start working on the Water Resilience Strategy urgently”. Last but not least, the reform of the public procurement framework will start in earnest early next year according to Stéphane Séjourné (VP for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy), and EFCA is eager to take part in the foreseen stakeholder consultations on this topic.
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US?President-Elect announces policies for sector
Donald Trump has outlined economic policies focused on supporting construction. He also intends to slow down or even reverse the energy transition.? No doubt the impact analysis of any changes will be high on the agenda of the new European Commissioners. Stéphane Séjourné has already expressed his commitment to keeping the EU competitive with the US but is determined not to enter a trade war.?For the construction sector,?tax breaks and streamlined permitting?aim to boost?housing and infrastructure projects. These incentives will be a talking point for EFCA and its members. The latter is often cited as the biggest obstacle to new projects involving European consulting engineering firms actually?getting underway. Furthermore, the US Inflation Reduction Act is often seen as a successful initiative, the likes of which could help the sector this side of the pond. In energy, a return to oil and gas?to lower costs and reduce foreign dependence, has already triggered reactions in Azerbaijan at COP 29 talks, as?have fears of a US?withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Re-Build Ukraine?Exhibition 2024
The Rebuild Ukraine exhibition is taking place in Warsaw?this week.?The event is for organisations involved in supporting Ukraine's reconstruction, drawing stakeholders from across the public and private sectors. Among the?participants, our member OICE? has been active.?Its involvement highlights the importance of applying global engineering standards, sustainable practices and collaborative approaches to help Ukraine recover and rebuild resiliently. Through this engagement, OICE and EFCA are reinforcing?their commitment to innovative solutions and the international cooperation essential to Ukraine’s long-term recovery and growth.