At the European Commission’s 2nd #EUIndustryDay Ceemet's Director General participated at a panel with other sector organisations on “Managing the change in industry - the constructive contribution of social dialogue” hosted by industriAll Europe.

During his intervention Uwe Combüchen focussed his intervention on:

1. Embracing technological development as an opportunity and facilitate the adaptation of industry;
2. Building the digital skills pool that eventually support the 4th Industrial Revolution
3. Using Social Dialogue to shape (national) labour markets by identifying skills before shortages arrive;
4. Creating room at national/company level allowing social partner to experiment with initiatives;
5. Exchanging good practices at EU level and raising awareness.

“Employers and employees need to do their fair share when it comes up to avoiding the risk of skills gaps and/or shortages”, said Director General Uwe Combüchen.

With Luc Triangle, Secretary General of industriAll Europe, stating that “with our labour legislation of the last century we could not be successful in the age of industry 4.0. (…) Employees and companies need more flexibility.” It seems like that there is a common agreement. Not surprising as both social partners have already a joint statement on the impact of digitalisation.

In the end both social partners have an interest in keeping an internationally competitive industry in Europe as it is critical to create wealth, jobs and sustain Europe’s top level social standards.

At the occasion, Ceemet’s Director General announced that the launch of the report “Digitalisation and the World of Skills & Education” on March 8th. This is the update of the 1st chapter of the much referred to “Digitalisation and the World of Work” report.

(f.l.t.r. Ceemet Director General Uwe Combüchen, Director General of DG Growth Lowri Evans, IndustriAll Secretary Genenral Luc Triangle)