22 February, 2017The European Parliament has voted to support a proposal to revise its Emissions Trading System Directive, which would allow for some of the funds raised by the auction or sale of emissions certificates to be used for Just Transition measures, such as labour market adjustment programmes.
Although not final - the proposal must be defended as it makes its way through other European governance structures - it is an important achievement. If implemented it would be the first time funds have been designated specifically for labour transition measures.
This success is the result of years of work by industriAll European Trade Union and IndustriALL Global Union, as well as others, supporting decarbonisation and the transition to sustainable energy sources as long as there is a solution to the impacts on employment.
“The vote in the European Parliament in favour of establishing a Just Transition Fund for the affected workers and communities is a step in the right direction," said Luc Triangle, General Secretary of industriAll Europe, “However, the proposal will now have to be discussed with the Council. IndustriAll Europe and its affiliates will continue convincing European leaders at member state level of the great necessity to establish the Just Transition Fund and thus to promote a socially-just energy transition in Europe.”
Brian Kohler, Sustainability Director at IndustriALL said “Congratulations to our European brothers and sisters. We are excited by this step taken by Europe, which should point the way to successes in establishing Just Transition programmes in other countries and regions.”
The European Parliament voted to support the proposal on 14 February 2017.