EU Warns Jobs at Risk From Energy Costs and Green Shift

The European Commission has warned that high energy prices, the green transition and industrial restructuring could put hundreds of thousands of EU jobs at risk in the coming years.

According to documents obtained by Politico, this year’s rise in energy prices alone could endanger up to 560,000 jobs, mainly in construction, chemicals, steel and transport.

The automotive sector is facing particularly severe pressure. According to the Commission, about 600,000 jobs are at stake because of the shift to electric vehicles and growing competition from China. Jobs in battery and solar panel production are also under threat.

Brussels expects unemployment to rise slightly and debt levels in member states to increase. The Commission therefore wants to place greater emphasis on investment in education, retraining and technical skills.

Commission Executive Vice-President Roxana Minzatu said Europe’s future competitiveness would depend above all on a skilled workforce, not only on technology or capital.

(mja)