Concrete perspectives January 2013
CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
According to first estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, the seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector fell by 0.4% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.9% in the EU27 in November 2012, compared with the previous month. In October 2012, production remained stable in the euro area and increased by 2.8% in the EU27.
Eurostat – Press Release
LIVE FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
Ireland took over presidency of the Council of the European Union
On January 1, for the seventh time, Ireland took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. The current Irish Presidency is focusing primarily on the objectives of achieving stability, jobs and growth. In the difficult environmental environment, the Irish Presidency will work on immediate, short-term tasks facing the Union, but also places equal importance on the establishment of a permanent basis for stability.
Ireland also will focus on the strengthening the EU’s approach to development policy, so that aid can be effective, sustainable and supportive of the basic values of the Union. Furthermore, the presidency set other priorities as well such as:
–putting a spotlight on youth unemployment
–legislation to promote the digital economy and measures aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises
–a focus on the potential of natural resources, on land as well as at sea
–promotion of trade agreements and the pursuit of the enlargement agenda.
Public Procurement
On 18 December 2012, the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee adopted amendments tabled to the Public Procurement Directive. MEPs voted more flexible procedures, greater legal certainty and binding rules on respect for social and environmental criteria.
Furthermore, MEPs chose to eliminate the lowest price as the criterion for awarding contracts, for example contracts should go to the economically most advantageous bid, taking account of criteria related to sustainability, life cycle costs and respect for social and environmental criteria. Another significant contribution of the amendments is that, to submit a bid, companies will have to comply with environmental and labour legislation, otherwise they will be excluded. The level of subcontracting wasn’t limited, as initially sought by the Rapporteur.
Final report on Public Procurement by EP
Single Market
The European Parliament Internal Market Committee adopted its own initiative report as a response to the European Commission’s Communication on single market governance issued on 8 June 2012. The report recommends clearer and more stringent governance of the single market and a legislative proposal to ensure better enforcement of single market legislation. MEPs called for better impact assessment before legislative proposals are adopted. Furthermore, on transposition of single market legislation, the deputies recommended zero tolerance of member states’ failures to implement the rules properly.
The vote in plenary is foreseen for February 2013.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Euro area1 annual inflation was 2.2% in December 20122, the same as in November. A year earlier the rate was 2.7%. Monthly inflation was 0.4% in December 2012.
- In November 2012 compared with October 2012, seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 0.3% in both the euro area (EA17) and the EU27.
- The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.3% in November 2011, unchanged compared with October. It was 10.0% in November 2010. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.8% in November 2011, also unchanged compared with October.
NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS
Most Outstanding Project in Precast Concrete:
Smets Premium Store Brussels, Belgium
Award for:
Zoom Architecture Brussels – architects (Florent Cenni)
Prefaco – supplier precast concrete (Eric Sels)
Ergon – supplier precast concrete (Pieter Van der Zee)
CFE Bouw – contractor (Christophe Van Oppem)
Smets Concept Store Brussels is the Brussels branch of the Luxembourg fashion empire Smets. The owners deliberately did not choose the elegance of the Avenue Louise; instead they chose a more easily accessible part of Brussels. The main part of the building is made out of precast concrete. Concrete remains visible in the interior and with the use of precast beams, large lengths of almost 10 metres were easily spanned, making it possible for almost half of the pillars to be left out. The construction of the building is made up of concrete slab flooring, double walls, beams, solid walls, double T elements and pre-stressed floor elements, all made of precast concrete. All of this guarantees 4000m2 of shopping and design fun.
AGENDA
FEBRUARY
5-7 February 2013
BetonTage Conference
Ulm, Germany
19 February 2013
BIBM Technical Commission
Brussels, Belgium
20-22 February 2013
CEN/TC 104 and CEN/TC 104/SC 1
Berlin, Germany
26 February 2013
CEPMC Sustainability Working Group
Brussels, Belgium
27 February 2013
CEPMC CPR Working Group
Brussels, Belgium
26 February 2013
CEPMC Executive Board
Brussels, Belgium
MARCH
5 March 2013
BIBM Product Group “Wastewater engineering”
Brussels, Belgium
5 March 2013
NEPSI employers meeting
Brussels, Belgium
14 March 2013
ECTP – Focus Area Materials
Brussels, Belgium
27 March 2013
European Construction Forum
Brussels, Belgium
27 March 2013
Workshop on “Use of Websites under the CPR”
Brussels, Belgium
APRIL
19 April 2013
NEPSI Council
Brussels, Belgium
24 April 2013
BIBM Board meeting
Brussels, Belgium