The European pulp and paper industry today concluded its 14th European Paper Week, focusing on the implementation of the CEPI 2050 Roadmap for a low-carbon bio-economy. Within that context CEPI presented the Two Teams’ Project, aiming at pushing innovation in the industry to achieve the goals set out in the Roadmap.
Addressing the recently published Communication for an Industrial Policy for Europe, CEPI launched its publication “The Future has begun” outlining the pulp, paper and board industry’s contribution to reinvigorate European industry.
This year also marked the 20th anniversary of the association.
The three-day event brought together over 330 people from the sector, related organisations as well as representatives from the European institutions, providing a high-level platform for discussion.
At a moment when the European Institutions are working on finalising the Horizon 2020 proposal, defining its new research allocations and rules, CEPI organised a densely packed Annual Meeting on the “European Paper Industry – Enabling the Bioeconomy”.
”As well as reinforcing Europe’s science base, Horizon 2020 will support industrial leadership, with actions to make Europe a more attractive place for businesses to invest in research and innovation. It will also help tackle important societal challenges like resource efficiency and the bio-economy“, commented Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research and Innovation, in her video message. In a panel, CEOs of the paper industry, the chemical sector and the financial world, exchanged views about the transformation path of the paper sector through the implementation of the CEPI 2050 Roadmap. ”In 2050 the forest fibre industry, will be at the heart of the bio-economy. We have a road, we have a roadmap – now let’s drive”, stated Jussi Pesonen, CEPI Chairman and CEO of UPM-Kymmene.
The plenary event also saw contributions from Antti Peltomäki, Deputy Director General at DG Enterprise, European Commission, who introduced the audience to the “new industrial revolution in Europe”; and Judith Merkies, Member of the European Parliament, who explained the position of the European Parliament on Horizon 2020.
“The Commission must put on sectoral lenses and look at the most coherent measures to realign Europe’s industry with the needs for wealth and jobs creation. With 25% of the global market, and exporting 20% of its production, our industry has its raw material base in Europe, its suppliers are large European companies, and it is actively organising innovation for new products and business models. All these are elements that put us in a central position to participate in the European economy recovery. But, we need facilitating policies and political attention”, said Teresa Presas, CEPI Director General in her presentation addressing the fact that Europe’s industry needs investor confidence.
A young researchers’ panel concluded the annual event of the European paper industry, bringing forward their work in finding solutions towards the CEPI 2050 Roadmap.
The key conclusion of the gathering is that the European Paper Industry walks the talk and ticks all the boxes included in the EU proposal for a new industrial revolution, in the “Communication on an Industrial Policy for Europe.”
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