Building Fair Jobs for a Greener Future

The European Parliament wants a new EU law – a “just transition directive” – that will help workers, businesses and local economies move safely into a greener, digital future.

Why it matters

• The green and digital shifts are changing jobs and regions in very uneven ways.
• A fair transition must protect workers, create quality jobs, and keep local economies alive.
• The EU estimates that a well‑planned transition could bring about €261 billion a year in benefits by reducing social and regional gaps.

Key goals of the directive

1. Protect and improve working conditions – better safety, fair pay, and the right to be consulted when jobs change.
2. Help people who are out of work – give them training and support to find new jobs.
3. Give workers a right to training during work hours – so they can learn new skills without losing income.
4. Create national and local transition plans – with clear long‑term visions for each region, built with workers, employers, and local authorities.
5. Support small and medium‑sized firms (SMEs) – make it easier for them to get funding, training, and to keep or create jobs.
6. Match skills with jobs – use data on what jobs will be needed and train people accordingly.
7. Monitor progress – track how many jobs are lost, created, or changed, and adjust policies as needed.

Important data points

• 39.5 % of adults in the EU take training each year, far below the 60 % target for 2030.
• 50 million workers will need training to reach the 2030 target.
• The energy sector alone will need 145 000 skilled workers by 2030.
• Clean‑tech jobs contributed 30 % of EU growth in 2023 and are expected to create millions of jobs.
• In coal‑dependent regions, employment rates are 10–15 % below the EU average.
• The Just Transition Fund (JTF) has paid out only 32.2 % of its money by the end of 2024, so many regions still lack support.

What the Parliament is asking the Commission to do

• Draft a directive that covers the above points and gives workers a real say in transition plans.
• Keep the directive flexible so that member states can offer even stronger protections if they wish.
• Use existing EU budgets (no new money needed) to fund the measures.

The goal is a Europe where the shift to a low‑carbon, digital economy creates new, good jobs, keeps communities thriving, and leaves no one behind.