The European paper and forest products industry, represented by CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries), is intensifying its policy advocacy in Brussels.
The association is urging EU policymakers to adopt a cohesive, multi-pillar strategy that secures the sector’s future through industrial transition, deep decarbonisation, and stronger global competitiveness.
The industry’s message is clear: the paper sector is a cornerstone of Europe’s green and circular ambitions and must be supported by a coherent, long-term regulatory framework.
Circular Economy and the Fossil-Free Imperative
In its recent Position Paper on the Circular Economy Act, CEPI calls for a comprehensive regulatory approach that accelerates the shift away from fossil-based materials. The fibre-based industry, already a leader in recycling and material efficiency, underscores its role in providing renewable, fibre-based products that can replace fossil-derived alternatives.
This transition, CEPI stresses, is not merely environmental — it is a strategic industrial choice. The Confederation further reinforced this message in a press release ahead of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy launch, highlighting the need to embed bio-based value chains into the EU’s climate and industrial policies. For CEPI, the forest-based bioeconomy — leveraging wood, biomass, and circular material flows — is essential to meeting Europe’s decarbonisation goals.
Global Trade: Mercosur as a Competitive Gateway
To finance and sustain the transition toward a fossil-free, circular economy, CEPI points to the importance of open and balanced global trade. In a separate statement, the Confederation called for the swift ratification of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement, describing it as a key step toward maintaining Europe’s competitiveness in global markets.
The agreement, CEPI argues, would secure fair market access for European pulp and paper exports while reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers. A pragmatic EU trade policy, it says, would both strengthen export potential and diversify raw material sourcing — ultimately underpinning the investment needed for industrial transformation at home.
A Cohesive Vision for Europe’s Paper Industry
Taken together, CEPI’s latest communications portray an industry seeking alignment across three fronts: circularity, decarbonisation, and trade. The Confederation is urging the EU to move beyond fragmented policymaking toward an integrated framework that connects industrial policy, climate objectives, and global competitiveness.
For CEPI, the path forward is clear: only a unified EU strategy can ensure that Europe’s fibre-based industries remain both sustainable and globally competitive in a rapidly changing world.
The Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi), based in Brussels, represents Europe’s pulp, paper, board, and fibre-based industries. It brings together 18 national associations and several affiliated companies. Cepi promotes the sector’s competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability. Together, its members employ around 180,000 people and generate more than €90 billion in annual turnover.
