Ceemet, the employer organisation representing Europe’s metal, engineering and technology-based industries, has published a new paper calling for a just transition driven by national, sectoral and company-level initiatives rather than fresh legislation from Brussels. The position paper, “Ensuring a just transition through national and sectoral initiatives”, argues that Europe already has the tools to manage the twin digital and green transitions, but that the focus now must be on using them effectively, empowering social partners and strengthening competitiveness across the continent.
A transformation already happening on the ground
The MET industries employ around 35 million people directly and indirectly across Europe and are undergoing profound change. Companies are adapting to decarbonisation, the rise of artificial intelligence, supply chain pressures and shifting global competition. Employers and workers have already taken significant steps to anticipate and manage this twin transition.
The paper highlights extensive national initiatives and collective agreements in countries such as France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, which support reskilling, redeployment and workforce planning. These range from organisations helping workers move into new roles to sectoral strategies designed to boost technical talent and lifelong learning.
Ceemet stresses that these examples show how bottom-up approaches allow companies and workers to respond quickly to technological and organisational change. For the companies in the MET sector, this flexibility is essential for maintaining competitiveness and securing quality jobs.
Backing skills, social dialogue and investment
Europe does not need a new directive on just transition or new rules on information and consultation. Instead, Ceemet argues, policymakers should reinforce existing frameworks that already require companies to inform and consult workers, while supporting skills development and encouraging social partners to negotiate solutions that reflect real workplace needs.
Introducing new obligations risks adding bureaucracy, particularly for small and medium-sized companies (92% of the MET sector), at a time when Europe needs to accelerate investment, innovation and training.
The paper highlights a growing number of EU-funded projects involving MET social partners, such as Bridges 5.0, SoDi and Trireme, which are already helping countries exchange good practices, strengthen social dialogue and anticipate skills needs linked to the twin transitions.
Europe has the frameworks it needs. What is required now is better implementation, more cooperation with social partners and sustained support for national and sectoral initiatives that are already delivering results on the ground. We urge the EU to focus on policies that attract investment, simplify processes and support innovation rather than widening regulatory obligations.