Open Letter to Put a Just Transition at the Heart of the Next EU Agenda

RREUSE joins more than 20 organisations of the European Alliance for a Just Transition in calling on the Council of the EU to put a strong policy framework for a just transition at the heart of the next European Union’s political agenda.The next EU cycle should provide a human-centred vision to achieve ambitious climate and environmental goals. It should promote equity and foster an economy ensuring well-being for all within planetary boundaries, including by empowering actors carrying a socially fair and just transition expertise. This is precisely what a just transition policy framework should be about.The recently adopted European Economic and Social Committee’s Opinion on Advancing a European Policy Framework for a Just Transition provides valuable guidance on the objectives, structure and content of an EU just transition policy framework.

In particular, RREUSE joins partner organisations in singling out the following crucial priorities:

1. Adopt a holistic, cross-sectoral and coherent approach to policy-making for a just transition.
2. Develop an ambitious EU strategy for the sustainable management of resources.
3. Strengthen the European social model to protect the rights and well-being of workers, people in vulnerable situations and other marginalised communities.
4. Mobilise adequate public and private investment for a just transition.
5. Ensure social dialogue and collective bargaining, civil dialogue and the involvement of regional and local authorities
6. Provide public support for a considerable upscaling of social economy enterprises and organisations, including via the implementation of the 2023 Council Recommendation on developing framework conditions for the social economy.