On 13 January, the European Economic and Social Committee's Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) held the inaugural meeting of its new term of office and adopted its 2021 work programme.

The CCMI president, Pietro Francesco De Lotto, vice-president Monika Sitárová, members and external delegates, whose term of office runs from November 2020 to November 2025, unanimously adopted the CCMI's Political Guidelines and Work Programme for 2021.

The work programme is based on three main pillars:

• a green transition for European industry;
• a comprehensive effort to digitalise Europe's production sectors;
• enhancing the global competitiveness of European industry, in line with the European Commissions' industrial policy review for 2021.

In his introductory remarks, Mr De Lotto highlighted the CCMI's unique role within the EESC as a pool of specialised industrial expertise. He reflected on the ongoing crisis and commented:

"European industry doesn't just have to survive this crisis; it also has to create the conditions for better global competitiveness based on energy and the digital transition. The relevant European bodies, institutions and organisations need to support it in this task'' said Mr De Lotto.

The CCMI is the heir to the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the starting point of the European Union as we know it today. When the ECSC Treaty expired in 2002, it was agreed that the CCMI would take up its legacy and perpetuate its work on industrial activities and relations. (ks)