The new President Mr François PERNIOLA, elected in 2010 for 3 years, thanked the Committee for electing him and presents the FECER ‘s strategy for the next three years.

He believed that the FECER had an important role in developing social dialogue within the EU. Although globalization was impacting the energy markets, FECER had a valuable role in driving the economic and social environment in energy companies, to support terms and conditions of managers but also the regulatory background to the energy markets in terms of knowledges, climate change and security of supply.

The FECER new program includes four targets :

1. To focus on the problems caused by scarcity of energy resources, especially the hydrocarbons. There was an urgent need to identify new sources of energy whilst using existing energy reserves more carefully. Developing renewable energy research would also be key to protecting energy reserves in the future.
2. To focus on the role of the management in European and International Social Dialogue : equally important is to ensure that energy markets were developed with due account being taken of the work environment particularly as it affected managers. There was a need to balance professional knowledges and training with occupational and geographical mobility and equality consideration
3. To focus on the FECER’ voice, which could meaningfully represent managers in dialogue with the European Union and internationally : there is a need to work with other representative groups within the EU (including the ETUC) and at a global level.
4. To focus on how to develop the organization and legitimity of the FECER at the European level, to strengthen FECER in terms of profile and media communications. There was also an urgent need to extend membership into countries where the FECER have no affiliates.

The lead members to develop these objectives are :

• Thomas Schneider would act in respect of Objective 1.
• Salvatore Carbonaro in respect of Objective 2,
• Patrick Carragher and Philippe Hendrickx in respect of Objective 3
• François Perniola and Lise Bachmann Watrinet in respect of Objective 4

lise.watrinet@gdfsuez.com

The “Europe 2020” strategy was adopted by the member states last June. In the middle of a crisis whose economic and social consequences bear heavily on Europe, the “Europe 2020” strategy’s principal objective is to develop engines of new growth combined with indispensible competitiveness.

These objectives are :

• To lower the rate of unemployment
• To encourage research and the capacity of innovation by investing 3% of the EU’s GDP in this field
• To respect the commitments made by the Energy/Climate 20/20/20 package (*)

These targets could be achieved, but only if the resource to reinforce the competitiveness of the European Economy are put on the table. These resources will certainly be financials, but will depend above all on the treasure of the European human resource. The vast European market must serve the people of Europe and not the reverse.

This is where the FECER stands with regard to the European social dialogue.

(*) – 20% greenhouse gas emissions, 20% of the EU’s energy consumption must come from renewable sources, – 20% primary energy by improving the efficient use of energy.