IndustriAll Europe warmly congratulates Monika Sitarova (OZ KOVO) who was named last week as Vice-President and coordinator of the workers’ group at the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). She now follows in the footsteps of Enrico Gibellieri (industriAll Europe expert), who held the post of workers’ group coordinator since the establishment of the CCMI in 2002.

The CCMI is a body of considerable importance for industriAll Europe. It examines industrial change across a wide range of industrial and service sectors, and the impact of such changes on a sector, workers and society. Many of the industries represented by industriAll Europe and many of our concerns have been taken up by the CCMI since its establishment in 2002. 

The CCMI covers issues like employment, social and structural policy, sustainable development, energy transition and more recently, digital industrial change and its sectoral and societal impact. It has produced opinions on the steel, automotive, aerospace, defence and shipbuilding sectors, to name but a few, and has given its views on Carbon Border Adjustment Measures, an issue that is critical for energy-intensive industries.

The CCMI is quite unique among the bodies that are consulted by the EU institutions. It can express its views when the European Parliament, Council or Commission request a mandatory opinion, but it can also present its own-initiative opinions, reports and hold conferences and hearings. And therein lies an essential added value for industriAll Europe and our work. Own-initiative opinions and events have enabled many issues of specific importance to us to be addressed, which might not have made it onto the political agenda otherwise.

The composition of the CCMI is an important factor in this regard. The CCMI is made up of EESC members and external delegates. The latter are appointed from among sectoral associations representing organised civil society at European level, including trade union federations, like industriAll Europe. This way, the CCMI benefits from a broad range of expertise delivered by experts that have often gained hands-on experience in the sectors they represent. This expertise undoubtedly enriches the opinions produced by the CCMI and makes it relevant for the work of trade unions.

The role of coordinator deserves a special mention. The coordinator of the workers’ group brings together the workers’ representatives in the CCMI and assures a close contact with the European Trade Union Federations that are involved in CCMI activities. This role was, for many years, skilfully filled by Enrico Gibellieri. Enrico must be considered as one of the pioneers of the CCMI. As the last President of the European Coal and Steel Community and its consultative committee, he helped to create the conditions for the establishment of the CCMI within the EESC when the European Coal and Steel Community expired. He worked tirelessly and contributed to numerous opinions as co-rapporteur, always ensuring close links to industriAll Europe and other trade union federations.

Enrico now hands over the role of coordinator to an equally experienced colleague, Monika Sitarova. Monika acted as co-rapporteur for several reports, most recently on the automotive industry. She joined the CCMI in 2008.

We are pleased that Enrico will continue contributing as a delegate and wish Monika well in her new position.

EESC news on the inaugural meeting

Contact: Andrea Husen-Bradley (press and communication)