PLASTICS INDUSTRY
PlasticsEurope and EuPC launch “Manifesto on the competitiveness of the plastics industry in Europe” / Identify challenges to European industry and issue recommendations / "PolyTalk" event in Brussels
Ahead of the opening of its annual “PolyTalk” conference on an industrial renaissance in Europe, PlasticsEurope (Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticseurope.org) and European Plastics Converters (EuPC, Brussels / Belgium; www.eupc.org) launched a “Manifesto on the competitiveness of the plastics industry in Europe”. The document presented in Brussels on 4 November calls on EU policy makers to join industry in keeping Europe’s plastics sector strong, calling the industry a strategic partner for economic recovery and sustainable growth in Europe.
The manifesto identifies five challenges to the European plastics industry. They are high energy and raw materials costs, a shortage of skilled workers, the need for future investments, the lack of a harmonised and complementary legal framework and better enforcement of the industry's “Zero Plastics to Landfill” policy.
To address these problems, the plastics producers and converters associations have issued five recommendations to policy makers. The first is to ensure more competitively priced energy and raw materials, specifically through the completion of a single European energy market as well as by means of enabling the “responsible exploration and production of shale gas” on the continent. Secondly, PlasticsEurope and EuPC are calling on the authorities to promote education and training in Europe by integrating plastics manufacture and converting in school curricula and encouraging apprenticeships, among others. The recommendations also include stimulating ongoing investment in innovation. In this respect, the associations point to the need to provide incentives for energy-efficient building, accelerating the introduction of innovations to the market and promoting new technologies.
The fourth conclusion of the manifesto is that Europe needs both consistent and complementary regulation. Specifically, the document calls for strengthening the position of the Chief Scientific Advisor to the European Commission and creating equivalent positions for all national governments. It also asks for a harmonised chemicals legislation and the promotion of better controls of products entering the EU. Another key tenet in this matter is the encouragement of a risk-based approach, with evidence-based assessment informing political decisions. Last but not least the manifesto calls on involving the plastics industry in initiatives to promote sustainable growth, by involving it in policies related to re-industrialisation and a circular economy, further developing the recycling industry and enforcing a ban on landfill, among others.
The manifesto identifies five challenges to the European plastics industry. They are high energy and raw materials costs, a shortage of skilled workers, the need for future investments, the lack of a harmonised and complementary legal framework and better enforcement of the industry's “Zero Plastics to Landfill” policy.
To address these problems, the plastics producers and converters associations have issued five recommendations to policy makers. The first is to ensure more competitively priced energy and raw materials, specifically through the completion of a single European energy market as well as by means of enabling the “responsible exploration and production of shale gas” on the continent. Secondly, PlasticsEurope and EuPC are calling on the authorities to promote education and training in Europe by integrating plastics manufacture and converting in school curricula and encouraging apprenticeships, among others. The recommendations also include stimulating ongoing investment in innovation. In this respect, the associations point to the need to provide incentives for energy-efficient building, accelerating the introduction of innovations to the market and promoting new technologies.
The fourth conclusion of the manifesto is that Europe needs both consistent and complementary regulation. Specifically, the document calls for strengthening the position of the Chief Scientific Advisor to the European Commission and creating equivalent positions for all national governments. It also asks for a harmonised chemicals legislation and the promotion of better controls of products entering the EU. Another key tenet in this matter is the encouragement of a risk-based approach, with evidence-based assessment informing political decisions. Last but not least the manifesto calls on involving the plastics industry in initiatives to promote sustainable growth, by involving it in policies related to re-industrialisation and a circular economy, further developing the recycling industry and enforcing a ban on landfill, among others.
 Patrick Thomas (left) and Michael Kundel: European plastics producers and processors are joining hands to lobby the EU on the industry's role in ensuring Europe's economic recovery (Photo: Bayer MaterialScience/EuPC) |
“We need a long-term strategy for Europe’s reindustrialisation that encompasses the plastics sector as a key strategic partner driving innovation and securing transition towards a resource efficient and low carbon economy,” said PlasticsEurope president Patrick Thomas, who also serves as CEO of Bayer MaterialScience (BMS, Leverkusen / Germany; www.bayerbms.com).
His statement was echoed by EuPC president and CEO of Renolit (Worms / Germany; www.renolit.com) Michael Kundel, who said that, “The European plastics industry employs more than 1.4m people in the European Union in some 62,000 companies and creates a turnover in excess of EUR 300 bn a year. The support of European policy makers is critical to help us drive economic growth, create high quality employment opportunities and optimise our contribution to European welfare.”
At the press conference ahead of the two-day "PolyTalk" event, Thomas highlighted that the high energy costs that European plastics companies have to work with, and which are often considered stifling to growth, can also be seen as a driver for innovation. Research into energy efficient products and processing techniques – ranging from building insulation to the light weighting of cars – is being spearheaded in Europe. He added that maybe it is wrong to consider the existing European energy and carbon pricing as wrong, calling instead for a more level global playing field. Kundel added that Europe’s many small- and medium-sized plastics companies have no choice but to manufacture at their existing locations, calling for a single energy market in Europe to ensure such a level playing field. Both representatives agreed that the plastics industry can contribute to each of the priority areas identified by the EU’s initiative for “A stronger European industry for growth and economic recovery”.
e-Service:
"Manifesto on the competitiveness of the plastics industry in Europe" as a PDF file
His statement was echoed by EuPC president and CEO of Renolit (Worms / Germany; www.renolit.com) Michael Kundel, who said that, “The European plastics industry employs more than 1.4m people in the European Union in some 62,000 companies and creates a turnover in excess of EUR 300 bn a year. The support of European policy makers is critical to help us drive economic growth, create high quality employment opportunities and optimise our contribution to European welfare.”
At the press conference ahead of the two-day "PolyTalk" event, Thomas highlighted that the high energy costs that European plastics companies have to work with, and which are often considered stifling to growth, can also be seen as a driver for innovation. Research into energy efficient products and processing techniques – ranging from building insulation to the light weighting of cars – is being spearheaded in Europe. He added that maybe it is wrong to consider the existing European energy and carbon pricing as wrong, calling instead for a more level global playing field. Kundel added that Europe’s many small- and medium-sized plastics companies have no choice but to manufacture at their existing locations, calling for a single energy market in Europe to ensure such a level playing field. Both representatives agreed that the plastics industry can contribute to each of the priority areas identified by the EU’s initiative for “A stronger European industry for growth and economic recovery”.
e-Service:
"Manifesto on the competitiveness of the plastics industry in Europe" as a PDF file
06.11.2014 Plasteurope.com [229695-0]
Published on 06.11.2014
German version of this article...