On Thursday 15 June, SMEUnited, the SME envoy in the EU, published a policy paper on the ‘Net Zero Industry Act’ (NZIA) (see EUROPE 13143/1). The organisation welcomes several of the proposals contained in the act, but suggests a number of changes to take better account of SMEs. These are involved in the manufacture of products and components for certain ‘net zero’ technologies such as wind power, solar energy and heat pumps, the organisation points out.
Among its proposals, SMEUnited suggests that the procedures for granting permits should be shortened still further for SMEs.
The organisation is also looking into ‘net zero industry’ academies. It believes that the Commission should bear in mind that the Member States are responsible for education and training. Consequently, SMEUnited says that these academies should only complement existing education systems. However, the envoy is also calling for the social partners recognised in the industry to be part of the governance of these academies.
Similarly, these social partners should be invited to participate in the “net zero industries platform” as observers.
Finally, the technologies covered by the NZIA should correspond to those included in the taxonomy regulation, according to SMEUnited. This is also what the rapporteur to the European Parliament, Christian Ehler (EPP, German), proposed in the first version of his report (see EUROPE 13190/11).
See the guidance document: https://aeur.eu/f/7ig (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)