Challenges for the construction sector Antonio Paparella DG GROW C1 "Clean technologies and products" Brussels – 24 June 2015 EESC & CoR conference "Freeing Europe safely from asbestos" 1

The construction sector in the EU: a global partner - 10% of GDP - Est. 100 billion Euros external trade - 3 million businesses - 20 million jobs, more than 90% in SMEs - 40% of EU's total energy consumption - 36% of EU's carbon emissions billion ton per annum raw materials consumed 2

The construction sector within the EU's policies: At the crossroad of several prominent EU policies: - Internal market - Industrial competitiveness - Energy - Environment - Climate - Social dialogue Policy + Regulation + Financial instruments Construction 2020 strategy 3

SMEs in specialised construction activities: main employer in buildings' renovation and energy retrofits 4

Many buildings which needs energy improvements have been constructed during the period when asbestos was not banned 5 Source: JRC Ispra map based on Eurostat data

Asbestos waste removal: challenges -Identifying asbestos containing material -Plan of work before demolition works or removal of asbestos to reduce exposure risks -Competence of firms -Storing, transport and inertizing of asbestos waste 6

Plan of action - Improving knowledge about asbestos presence in the building stock - Guidance and other supporting material (per specialized construction activity/product ) - Training at different levels (technical managers, foremen, specialized operators, etc.) - Appropriate infrastructure for asbestos waste disposal and treatment 7

Policy intervention - Specific support to SMEs, especially for those which come into contact with asbestos accidentally: Guidance documents, awareness raising campaigns, support tools (possibly IT), education and training - Development of infrastructure for collecting, transporting and disposal of asbestos waste - Research and innovation in treatment of asbestos waste (plasma torches, pyrolysis, etc.) Public-private partnership depends on national context 8

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