A few months before the municipal elections of March 2026, CAPEB presented its electoral manifesto. This strategic document, intended for candidates and future local officials, aims to place small building trades businesses at the heart of territorial policies, and to highlight their key role in the local economy.

The figures speak for themselves. With over 500,000 craft businesses, 570,000 employees, and 60,000 apprentices, the building trades sector is a pillar of the French economy. And recent studies confirm this: with a presence throughout the country, very small businesses (TPEs) have been the main job creators for years, surpassing medium-sized enterprises (ETIs) and large corporations. Beyond their economic activity, these businesses are deeply involved in local life. They build, renovate, maintain, and transform urban and rural spaces, directly contributing to community development. Yet, this model, based on proximity and independence, is under threat, according to the Confederation. The increasing concentration of the building sector raises the risk of seeing craftspeople relegated to the status of "mere subcontractors," to the detriment of the vitality of local areas.

Six Priorities and 39 Concrete Proposals
Faced with this situation, the Capeb (Confederation of Craftspeople and Small Businesses in the Building Sector) has published a groundbreaking manifesto aimed at raising awareness among future local elected officials about six strategic priorities: housing, economic development, public procurement, heritage, mobility, and ecological transition. Each theme is broken down into operational proposals, accompanied by information to help understand the sector and practical guidance for local construction projects. Regarding housing, the organization calls for "the implementation of an ambitious energy renovation policy for homes and buildings that fully integrates local tradespeople." This is essential given the climate emergency and the energy performance targets for buildings. The organization also advocates for "placing local tradespeople at the heart of urban planning policy [and] defining a charter of commitments dedicated to the local development of the building trades." These measures would simplify urban planning regulations, adapt Local Urban Plans (PLUs), and reduce administrative delays by consulting more closely with professionals in the field.

Ending Discriminatory Practices in Public Procurement
It is undoubtedly on the issue of public procurement that the Capeb (Confederation of Craftspeople and Small Businesses in the Building Sector) is most vocal. The organization denounces procedures that too often exclude small businesses in favor of comprehensive contracts, which generate excessive subcontracting. Key proposals include: using negotiated contracts for public works projects under €100,000 excluding VAT to facilitate access for local craftspeople; dividing public works contracts into smaller lots as much as possible; and avoiding comprehensive public contracts, "which lead to lower quality, increased risk of accidents, undeclared work, and do not benefit the economic development of the region."

The Capeb (Confederation of Craftspeople and Small Businesses in the Building Sector) goes even further, demanding that subcontracting be limited to a single tier in public procurement contracts to prohibit the cascading subcontracting that leads to economic exploitation and value destruction in the construction sector. This radical measure aims to protect tradespeople from unfair competition. Other demands from the Confederation include strict adherence to legal payment deadlines in public contracts and the elimination of "hidden" delays related to processing applications, which represent a major cash flow challenge for very small businesses.

Removing Everyday Obstacles
Simplification must also extend to the conditions of daily operations. The Capeb (Confederation of Craftspeople in the Building Sector) is calling for "smooth traffic flow and parking" for professionals' vehicles in order to optimize "site logistics and the smooth running of their work." This demand directly impacts the effectiveness of their interventions. Regarding construction waste, the organization is demanding "guaranteed access for professionals to public waste disposal centers and the provision of a sufficient number of skips for the disposal of sorted waste." This is a sensitive issue, especially as regulations on construction and demolition waste management are becoming stricter.

Heritage, a Field of Excellence
The preservation of built heritage is another major focus of the manifesto. The Capeb (Confederation of Craftspeople in the Building Sector) proposes maintaining, renovating, and restoring the built heritage of municipalities "by promoting the expertise of local craftspeople." This call is particularly relevant given the often prohibitively high cost of repairs. Building professionals possess invaluable expertise in historic buildings, enabling municipalities to regularly maintain their structures and prevent their deterioration, the Confederation emphasizes.

A Virtuous Model to Defend
In an unstable political climate, the professional organization is therefore counting on local elected officials as "foundations of stability and drivers of concrete action" for building tradespeople. "Small building businesses are at the heart of local life. By supporting their development, municipal elected officials will strengthen not only the local economy, but also social cohesion and the quality of life of their residents," declares Jean-Christophe Repon, President of the Confederation. "The 2026 municipal elections must be an opportunity to choose this virtuous model. It is in this spirit that the Capeb is launching its manifesto, bringing together all of its proposals, and calling on future elected officials to commit." A bet on local focus and pragmatism in the face of government obstruction. Building tradespeople "are not asking for privileges," concludes the official statement, "but for fair access to local public contracts." A simple principle that could permanently transform the economic landscape of local areas. If, however, the future elected officials take it up...

Adèle Cazier

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