Intergraf, the European printing industry association, has joined the cross-sectoral coalition supporting circular choices for the EU’s Bioeconomy to combine the advocacy efforts with partners that represent forest-based industries.
Together, the coalition represents a sustainable, circular, and integrated European value chain which will be crucial to enable the EU to reach the net zero goal by 2050. The coalition has already announced its 2030 policy recommendations.
Sustainable supply and efficient use of raw materials
Among other policy recommendations, the coalition is urging the EU to prioritize sustainability and a circular economy by ensuring a strong and growing supply of renewable wood and fiber. This can be achieved by developing legislation that facilitates the transition to sustainable wood-based products and bioenergy while assessing the impact of legislation affecting raw material supply.
The EU legislators are advised to also recognize the value of wood as a precious resource, acknowledge the contribution of renewable materials to climate neutrality, and improve the use of raw materials by applying the cascading principle. Finally, policymakers are urged to support a functional internal market for wood and fiber-based products through recycling systems at scale.
Strategic Autonomy
In order to make the EU more self-sufficient and able to withstand global challenges, the bioeconomy must be integrated into the European value chain, with a flexible and integrated single market for the industry to remain competitive. This also means the EU must defend its trade and commercial interests externally. To achieve this, the coalition recommends establishing a wood and fiber-based industrial alliance to improve material efficiency and secure fair competition on global markets.
Circular Bioeconomy and Environment
The EU should recognize the contributions of coalition stakeholders to the EU’s circular bioeconomy and ensure that wood, fiber-based and paper-based products are regulated as bio-based, sustainable and complementary recycled solutions to reusable options.
The coalition has been formed by Cepi, the Confederation of the European Paper Industries. Intergraf advocates for Europe’s printing industry towards the European Union, working with EU policymakers to support the sector’s competitiveness through advocacy, information-sharing, networking, campaigning, social dialogue, and EU projects.
