CAPEB 2025 Congress: Building tradespeople determined to obtain the recognition they deserve

The CAPEB, whose state confirmed on April 8 its majority representation in the building trades, brought together renowned speakers around the theme "The building trades company: the model of tomorrow" to emphasize the absolute necessity of giving this model the place it deserves in public policies in view of its effectiveness for the vitality of our economy and the future of our society.

"The market is organized to favor large groups and mass retailers, to the detriment of artisans," lamented Jean-Christophe Repon at the opening of the Congress. While artisans represent 97% of companies in the sector, and their role in key issues for the future of the country—such as energy renovation, housing adaptation, home support, and decarbonization—is widely recognized by local elected officials who praise their vital nature, agility, and diversity, they fly under the radar of public policy. Yet, faced with climate and demographic challenges, 500.000 jobs will be needed by 2030 to meet demand, and artisanal businesses are best placed to fill them.

Recent government decisions have only reinforced the sense of indifference they feel. The creation of labels that benefit commercial companies and the maintenance of mechanisms that encourage massive subcontracting are just two examples. "We hear about fighting fraud, but craftspeople are the first to be harmed by a system that allows commercial structures to divert the schemes for their own benefit, without any real added value in terms of the quality of the work," emphasized the president of CAPEB.

One of the most criticized measures remains the refusal to broaden access to the RGE (Recognized Environmental Guarantor) label through the validation of acquired experience (VAE), an initiative that was intended to facilitate access for artisans to this essential qualification, but which has been awaiting a government decision for over a year. This ineptitude was highlighted during the round tables, recalled by one of the CAPEB speakers: "The RGE label only concerns 10% of companies. Today, we are cutting ourselves off from competent companies that have given up on the RGE, deemed too complex."

Jean-Christophe Repon reiterated that the CAPEB is eager to contribute to the success of the energy transition and decarbonization. However, current policies seem to ignore the crucial importance of craftsmanship in these areas. The reduction in ambitions for the Zero Net Artificialization (ZNA) objective was seen as a strategic step backward. "The majority of construction sites and existing housing must be renovated, not sacrificed to concreting. The future of housing depends on renovation," insisted Jean-Christophe Repon.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.