Social Partners Statement

At a meeting of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Extractive Industries hosted by the European Commission (DG EMPL) on 23 September 2024, EURACOAL, together with the social partners Euromines, IMA Europe, APEP, UEPG and IndustriAll, signed joint recommendations for the next European Mandate (2024-2029).

Based on the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal, the recommendations summarised below show the commitment of employers and workers’ organisations to preserving Europe’s mining sector:

  1. Strategic Importance: The extractive industries, which provide crucial raw materials for many sectors, play a central role in Europe’s economic goals, particularly for the green and digital transitions. We welcome the Critical Raw Materials Act.
  2. Quality Jobs: The sector supports 350 000 direct jobs and millions more downstream, which need to be preserved and developed through targeted EU policies. This includes fair wages, secure contracts, good working conditions, and inclusion.
  3. Just Transition: Workers and companies in the extractive industries need support as they face challenges during the shift to cleaner practices. A framework is essential to manage job changes, ensure security, and maintain social and economic stability, with the strong involvement of social partners.
  4. Re- and Up-skilling: The extractive industries advocate for a concrete agenda on retraining and upskilling workers to ensure smooth adaptation to new industrial demands.
  5. Social Dialogue: Engaging workers and their representatives through social dialogue is crucial to formulating policies that align with the needs of the workforce and industry.
  6. Fair Global Playing Field: In order to avoid undercutting of the EU’s high social and environmental standards, ethical sourcing of raw materials from non-EU countries is emphasised, promoting standards that respect labour rights and environmental protection to ensure fair competition, and equitable benefits from resource extraction.

Download the recommendations in DE, EN or FR.

Signing of the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal by 73 industrialists and President von der Leyen, Antwerp, 20 February 2024 (photo credit: Thomas Hansenne)