Study - Energy policy and the labour market: consequences for employment in regions undergoing energy transitions

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is planning to launch a procurement procedure for a study on 'Energy policy and the labour market: consequences for employment in regions undergoing energy transitions'.

This announcement is made pursuant to Annex I.14 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, to award a low value contract as a result of a negotiated procedure. It is published ahead of the procurement procedure with basic information on the subject matter of the contract to give interested economic operators the possibility to express their interest in participating as tenderers in the subsequent procurement procedure.

All economic operators established in the European Union, European Economic Area and countries with a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, with proven experience in conducting studies on related topics, may express their interest in participating.

DESCRIPTION

The different legislative proposals in the 'Fit for 55' package mean a dramatic shift of employment in certain regions, either dependent on raw materials for power generation (such as coal mining), directly linked to its generation (power plants, refineries, etc.) or with carbon-intensive industries that are forced out of business. Given the increasingly urgent need to speed up the green transition, the Workers' Group is commissioning a study to understand the consequences for employment related to the interaction between energy policy and the labour market.

While extensive research has been undertaken regarding statistical predictions of job structure changes in relation to the transition towards climate neutrality, the number of studies focused on the nature of such present transformations is far more limited, revolving around industrial changes[1] instead of targeting climate concerns. This means that many foresight studies on the impact of the green transition at regional level[2] might be overly optimistic about the assumptions made for employment structure changes, and a gap in knowledge exists as to what specific instruments, factors and approaches might decide whether a region can successfully adapt into the green economy or enter economic decline.

The study should select several cases where these transitions away from carbon-intensive industries and/or raw material/power generation are taking or have taken place at a regional level, and pay special attention to the economic shifts and changes in employment structure, counting at least one successful and one unsuccessful case of just transition (this understood as one where employment was generally preserved by transferring it to more sustainable jobs).

Against this background, tenderers will be asked to propose at least three (or more) cases selected based on solid comparability criteria and on the extensive existing literature. As a first step, the study shall provide a general overview of the different changes in economic, sociodemographic and industrial relations terms in the area, as well as an overview of the main policies adopted. Afterwards, the researchers shall study the cases by means of qualitative techniques ensuring a deeper understanding of the underlying changes, including the possibilities of focus groups, in-depth interviews or discussion groups, as well as structured surveys. The purpose of this second stage shall be to 'go beyond' what is already known from statistical sources and official reports, providing insights into what failed and what succeeded in the selected cases.

The study shall then provide a report on the conclusions of this research, both in comparative terms and with case-specific overview, and prepare a complete set of policy recommendations, based on the evidence gathered, on what works and what does not to ensure a just transition. This must take into account issues that can be related to current policy trends, and integrate, when possible, the different mechanisms and funds available under the current legislative scheme.

This study shall feed into the legislative process of the EESC and its member organisations from the Workers' Group, ensuring appropriate follow-up of the different proposals under the 'Fit for 55' initiative and in particular the new proposal for a Council recommendation on a fair transition.

Languages/geographical area

The different cases for the study should cover as much variety within industrial relation traditions (Mediterranean, Central and Eastern European, Continental, Nordic or Liberal) among the EU Member States as possible, selecting representative cases from several of the aforementioned practices. The contractor must also ensure that someone in the team will be able to communicate with the related stakeholders in their native language. The Workers' Group will assist the contractor in finding possible contacts in the agreed cases.

Indicative timeline

  1. Launch of the invitation to tender: 2nd quarter 2022.
  2. Contract award: 2nd quarter 2022.
  3. The final study report is expected within 10 months following the signature of the contract.
  4. Deadline for submission of tenders: approximately 2nd quarter 2022.

DISCLAIMER

Please note that this announcement does not create any obligation for the EESC to launch a procurement procedure. The EESC will take the submitted information into account only to identify potential candidates. Expressing interest to participate in a negotiated procedure of this type does not create any legal right or legitimate expectation on the part of any economic operator, and the EESC has the right to cancel the procedure at any time. The procurement documents will only be provided to the identified candidates, and any tender received from a legal or natural person not invited to tender will be rejected.

DATA PROTECTION

By submitting your contact details, you consent to the EESC processing this personal data in line with this Privacy Statement. To access, change or delete your data at any moment, please contact the data controller by sending an email to studies-eesc@eesc.europa.eu.


Contact

Expressions of interest to participate should be sent via the following contact form, before the deadline indicated below:

Deadline

Thursday, March 31, 2022 - 15:00