Does bureaucracy endanger the climate transition in the skilled trades?

The skilled trades sector in Rhineland-Palatinate rightly sees itself as a pillar and pioneer in implementing the energy transition in the state. Neither energy-efficient homes nor personal electric mobility would be conceivable without the skilled trades – and these are just two examples. This understanding is also gaining increasing traction in politics: "Sustainability is in the DNA of skilled trades businesses in Rhineland-Palatinate. As a key driver of the regional economy, they recognize trends and embody the concept of sustainability in the truest sense. They are positioning their businesses not only with an eye on the next balance sheet, but also for the next generation," said Minister of Economic Affairs Daniela Schmitt at the end of June at the Rhineland-Palatinate state representation in Brussels.

Therefore – and there is widespread agreement on this point – the skilled trades play a particularly important role in the implementation of the "European Green Deal" . However, the initiative , with which the European Commission aims to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050 , does not only bring new opportunities for the skilled trades. Many business owners fear that the Green Deal could lead to bureaucratic challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) , which would jeopardize milestones already achieved in sustainable business practices.

European climate targets cannot be achieved without skilled trades

Tim Krögel, Eric Schaaf, Michael Zimmermann, Melanie Temmes, and Ralf Hellrich in conversation with presenter Katrin Pribyl. Photo: © Andreas Schröder

To raise awareness of this danger among representatives of the European Parliament, the working group of Rhineland-Palatinate Chambers of Skilled Crafts from Trier , Rheinhessen , Palatinate , and Koblenz came to Brussels at the invitation of Minister Schmitt. "Without skilled crafts, achieving the European climate goals is impossible," emphasized Kurt Krautscheid , spokesperson for the working group of Chambers of Skilled Crafts in Rhineland-Palatinate.

He appealed to the political representatives present , including the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Katarina Barley , not to burden businesses already overburdened by the pandemic, skills shortages, material shortages, and the war in Ukraine even further . "Small businesses in particular are disproportionately affected by bureaucracy. In many cases, they have to meet identical requirements as large companies without having even remotely comparable resources," Krautscheid argued.

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Eric Schaaf , Managing Director of Die Tischlertekten GmbH & Co. KG , Melanie Temmes , owner of the Gries butcher shop , and Michael Zimmermann , Managing Director of Zimmermann Bedachungen GmbH and Vice President of the Rheinhessen Chamber of Skilled Crafts , discussed in a panel discussion with Ralf Hellrich , Managing Director of the Koblenz Chamber of Skilled Crafts , and Tim Krögel , Head of the Brussels office of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) , what their three businesses are already doing for the energy transition and what impact increasing bureaucratic burdens are having on their daily work. Krögel summarized an important aspect of the problem, noting that the ZDH observes that Europe-wide regulations are usually developed with large corporations in mind . Examples include rules on supply chains or packaging information . The general consensus among the business owners present was that complying with such regulations not only quickly pushes small craft businesses to their limits, but often makes little sense for regionally operating small businesses.

Katarina Barley (front) and Daniela Schmitt (front, third from left) with representatives of the Rhineland-Palatinate skilled trades in Brussels. Photo: © Andreas Schröder

" As key players in the climate transition, our craft businesses need a reliable roadmap ," emphasized Bernd Elsen , Vice President of the Trier Chamber of Skilled Crafts , on the sidelines of the event. According to Elsen, given the current economic and global political climate, climate targets should be as long-term as possible. To implement these plans as quickly as possible, policymakers are particularly called upon to take the necessary measures to meet the skilled labor shortage in Europe . "As a crucial component of this, vocational training must be strengthened," demanded the master electrician. For Michael Zimmermann, this is primarily a matter of societal appreciation for skilled trades . The role of skilled trades in implementing the climate transition can contribute to further improving the image of apprenticeships as career paths. Nevertheless, as was made clear once again in Brussels, continued political support is needed if more young people are to be attracted to vocational training.

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