Future For Paper Industry Needs Action

Following the meeting with Commissioner Verheugen, Magnus Hall, CEO of Holmen and Chairman of the CEPI said that the European Union cannot afford to let the pulp and paper sector and its related value chain slide into crisis

Commenting on the manifesto Teresa Presas, Managing Director of CEPI said to have presented a clear list of areas where we believe the Commission can be forward thinking and provide the stimulus that industry needs.

The key areas where the industry urges the European Commission to act include:

• Ensuring a better balance in policymaking between advocates of environmental, competitiveness and employment interests.

• Allowing Europe to compete with lower energy cost competitors

• Creating winners not victims in the EU Emissions Trading System

• Boosting the availability of raw materials and market access

• Applying flexibility to competition rules to facilitate restructuring

• Fighting protectionism in competing countries

• Turning innovation into a reality

Europe needs to reconcile competitiveness and sustainability for its industry to thrive in a global market. For the European pulp and paper industry competitiveness is economics. Meeting this challenge depends largely on policy makers.

The pulp and paper industry is an example to others in its responses to the current challenges, based on sustainability. The industry practice sustainable forest management, pursue security of energy supply through renewable energy, and optimise resources through the highest recycling rates. It is a significant provider of employment, and adds economic value through the constant harnessing and updating of new technologies.