Skip to content
OPINION (COM(2023)0161 – C90062/2023 – 2023/0081(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act)

EMPL-AD-749069

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: MariePierre Vedrenne

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull textProcedure & committee votes
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

The opinion proposes amendments to the Net Zero Industry Act to strengthen the skills and social dimension, including quality jobs, social criteria in public procurement, and support for the Net-Zero Academies.

Committee position. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs proposes amendments to strengthen the social and skills dimension of the Net Zero Industry Act, including quality jobs, social criteria in procurement, and support for the Academies.

Key points

  1. Calls for the Net-Zero Academies to be based on a mapping exercise of skills shortages and training gaps, covering the value chain and supporting all workers regardless of age, gender, or education.
  2. Urges making the Academies attractive to women, young and older workers, and ensuring they are affordable and accessible, with mobility encouraged through recognition of diplomas and micro-credentials.
  3. Stresses the need to attract skilled workers from third countries through national or European talent schemes.
  4. Calls for appropriate funding for the Academies, including EU support for launch and implementation, with coordination with ESF+ and other instruments, and for them to be running by end of 2025.
  5. Proposes that the Net-Zero Europe Platform coordinate the Academies, monitor results, and report on achievements in Member States.
  6. Introduces social criteria in public procurement to promote quality jobs, equality, and social justice in tendering.
  7. Amends recitals to emphasize quality jobs, decent working conditions, and social sustainability in net-zero industries and public procurement.
  8. Requires Member States to include just transition plans and social challenges in their National Energy and Climate Plans.
  9. Defines 'quality job' and requires economic operators to provide quality jobs.
  10. Extends the time limit for exceptional risks to health and safety from 6 to 12 months.
  11. Adds social sustainability criteria to public procurement and auctions, with a weight of 20% to 45% for sustainability and resilience, at least half for social criteria.
  12. Requires the Academies to train 100,000 learners each within three years, develop credentials, and ensure learning content in multiple languages.

Who is affected

  • Workers in net-zero industries: benefit from quality jobs, training, and recognition of skills.
  • Contracting authorities and entities: must apply social and environmental criteria in public procurement.
  • Member States: must integrate social challenges and skills policies into climate plans and recognize credentials.
  • Education and training providers: use learning content from the Academies.
  • Net-Zero Industry Academies: established with specific objectives and governance.

Figures and deadlines

  • 100,000 learners per Academy within three years of establishment.
  • Weight of sustainability and resilience criteria between 20% and 45% of award criteria.
  • Cost difference above 30% may be presumed disproportionate.
  • Extension of time limits by 12 months for exceptional risks.
  • Academies to be established by 31 December 2024 and disseminate content by 31 December 2025.