In a press release Jean-Baptiste Michon insists on the apolitical nature of CAPEB 2A, affirming that the organization is not intended to favor a particular candidate. However, he expects the candidates to integrate into their programs the dynamics necessary for the general interest. “The dissolution of the National Assembly undermines our collective capacity to meet the various transitions that are decisive for the future of our society”he declares.
The president recalls the importance of the bill to simplify economic life, which included significant measures for artisans, such as the elimination of administrative obligations and facilitation of access to public markets. “The simplification of the RGE (Recognized Guarantor of the Environment) qualification and its access to VAE was impatiently awaited by craft construction companies”, sunderlines Michon. These reforms are essential to strengthen access for craftsmen to renovation markets and achieve the objective of massification of renovations.
Michon also highlights the particular situation of Corsica as a non-interconnected zone (ZNI). “It is important that the decarbonization of buildings and the energy renovation of housing are carried out by companies with recognized know-how, which employ local labor and which sustain the local economic fabric”, he explains. He says he is vigilant about the involvement of candidates to defend the interests of construction craftsmen and SMEs, who constitute a significant part of Corsica’s economic wealth.
Challenges increased by the crisis
Artisanal businesses, already in difficulty before the health crisis, have seen their situation worsen. They had to self-finance the effects of the crisis and conflicts which led to an increase in the prices of materials and energy. “The decline in purchasing power of the majority of businesses and the population has only aggravated already complicated situations”notes Michon.
The president of CAPEB Corse du Sud recalls the importance of training young people in meaningful professions that allow them to live with dignity. “The building trades, particularly in the field of renovation and energy savings, still have a future,” he asserts, while warning that political decisions must not be disconnected from realities on the ground.
Finally, he calls on candidates in the legislative elections to take into consideration the voice of artisanal construction companies, often inaudible but essential to the local economy. “All of these reforms have now come to a sudden halt. CAPEB expresses the hope that these projects will be resumed as quickly as possible, once the election has passed,” he concludes.
