Construction Sector

The construction sector is of vital importance to the European Economy. With an annual turnover of almost € 1000 billion, a total direct workforce of more than 11 million, another 15 million employed indirectly the construction sector contributes about 10% to GDP. The European construction sector is composed of around 97% of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), their performance is essential as it motivates economic activity in all other sectors. UEAPME via its Construction Forum seeks to influence the European Institutions so as to create the best possible environment for SMEs.

UEAPME’s Construction Forum

The UEAPME Construction Forum is a specialised discussion platform bringing together the European sectoral associations representing construction activities and being associate UEAPME member, construction specialists from the national SME associations and NORMAPME. In total, this Forum represents the interests about 1,000,000 construction enterprises from across the European Union and beyond.
The biannual meetings are dedicated to issues of interest to the whole construction industry such as public procurement; value added tax, contractual matters and others.

Currently, the following associations form the Forum:

Position papers

The Forum regularly issues position papers on topical issues for SMEs in the construction sector.

• July 2007: Preliminary comments of the UEAPME Construction Forum regarding the Commission working paper “Possible contents of a Communication on the application of public procurement law to iPPPs
  
  
• July 2007: Position of the UEAPME Construction Forum regarding the Commission Communication “Posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services”
  
  
• November 2006: Position of the UEAPME Construction Forum regarding the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Waste (COD 2005/0281)
  
  
• December 2005: UEAPME Construction Forum position on the Commission consultation 'Towards a European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong learning'
  
  
• June 2005: UEAPME Position Paper on the follow-up to the Green Paper on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)
  

• Letter to Finance Ministers on reduced VAT for labour intensive services

• Position of the UEAPME Construction Forum regarding the Proposal for a Directive on Services in the Internal Market (COM(2004) 2 final/3)

• Position of the UEAPME Construction Forum regarding the Report from the Commission on the Experimental application of a reduced rate of VAT to certain labour-intensive services

• UEAPMEs Construction Forum Position on the article 52 of the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public supply contracts, public service contracts and public works contracts

• UEAPMEs Construction Forum Position on the Report of the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public supply contracts, public service contracts and public works contracts