Background information

The Research Institute of Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (IME GSEVEE) published in May 2021 a research document titled “Proposals for the Transition to the Post-Lignite Era in the Region of Western Macedonia: A Holistic Social, Economic, and Environmental Framework.” This text served as GSEVEE’s contribution to the public consultation on the Territorial Just Transition Plan (TJTP) of Western Macedonia. It aimed to present a realistic and actionable program for the region's restoration, guided by a unified approach that integrates nature, economy, and human well-being. The document transfers international expertise, identifies contradictions and weaknesses in existing projects, and ultimately proposes solutions for the post-decarbonization era. It also provides an overview of the Just Development Transition (JDT) Plan as it was presented for consultation in October 2020, analyzing its strengths and pinpointing areas of ambiguity or potential future challenges.

Content of measure

In the 2021 research document by IME GSEVEE, the proposals for the Economic Rehabilitation of Western Macedonia focused on nine key guidelines:

strengthening and transforming primary production; promoting the processing of primary production; marketing - promoting sales and creating branded products; strengthening infrastructures; providing incentives for voluntary associations and synergies (clusters); supporting agricultural production; strengthening the educational level to overcome the chronic lag of the region; supporting incomes to act as a safety net for those who do not enter the labour market on time, and finally; *continuously assessing the results so that lignite phase-out and greenhouse gas neutrality are both socially neutral and not accompanied by a social burden.

For these proposals to succeed, agreeing on the number of people affected by decarbonization is essential. If only one measure were implemented, creating a scientific and profes-sional hub (clusters) to establish a single brand for Western Macedonia would be ideal. This could boost all sectors and address existing challenges. Additionally, the current decarboni-zation timetable is extremely and unjustifiably violent.and must must be extended in time and follow the EU’s timetable, which provides for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050.

Use of measure

There is no available information regarding the influence of GSEVEE's proposals on the design and implementation of the Just Transition program

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Employers' organisations	Employers organisation

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Not applicable	Unknown

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

The initiative described is solely an independent action undertaken by GSEVEE, a social partner representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Views and reactions

The initiative described is solely an independent action undertaken by GSEVEE, a social partner representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). There are no other social partner's reactions to the measure

Sources

• 30 November 2020: Οι επιπτώσεις της μετάβασης στη μετα-λιγνιτική εποχή.Η περίπτωση των μικρομε-σαίων επιχειρήσεων στην Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Μακεδονία (imegsevee.gr)
• 06 May 2021: ΙΜΕ ΓΣΕΒΕΕ: Προτάσεις για τη μετάβαση στη μεταλιγνιτική εποχή της Περιφέρειας Δυτικής Μακεδονία (imegsevee.gr)