‘Made in Europe’ priority call from paper industry

Economic resilience and fewer imported fossil resources should be the focus of European Union policy on circular, bio-based materials, according to Europe’s fibre sector.

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi) says Europe should ‘double down on where it already leads’. Dg Jori Ringman argues a ‘Made in EU’ framework and minimum EU content rules could provide the investment certainty needed to scale production and create high-quality jobs across the region.

Cepi’s approach centres on leveraging Europe’s existing strengths in sustainably managed forests, high-quality recycling systems and advanced manufacturing expertise. Rather than competing on low-cost fossil energy, its model puts circularity and bioeconomy leadership as the foundation for long-term industrial growth.

Circular ambition

The confederation believes momentum at policy level is building. The EU’s Clean Industrial Deal sets out an ambition for Europe to lead the circular economy by 2030, identifying resource efficiency and reduced dependency on imports as central to competitiveness. An updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy is expected to accelerate the substitution of fossil-based materials with bio-based alternatives, supporting industrial sovereignty.

Cepi argues that Europe already performs strongly in circular material use with paper packaging recycling rates at 87%, according to Eurostat.
‘However, industry stakeholders stress that further progress will depend on creating a truly frictionless Single Market for circular materials,’ it says. ‘This includes harmonised collection systems, particularly for paper and board, and more efficient, digitally enabled waste shipment rules to facilitate intra-EU material flows.’

Strong technology

Maintaining circular systems requires access to virgin inputs. Sustainably sourced biomass and ‘fresh fibre’ are seen as essential to preserving material quality in recycling loops. According to Cepi, the region also holds a strong position in technology.

‘European manufacturers of pulp and paper machinery and industrial equipment are global leaders, supplying critical infrastructure for circular production systems worldwide. Beyond traditional applications, the sector is contributing to a broader bio-based industrial transformation, including the development of textiles, plastics, chemicals and construction materials derived from renewable sources.’