News

Brussels, 15 October 2020

The European Panel Federation (EPF) warmly welcomes the publication of the European Commission communication on the Renovation Wave Strategy: “A Renovation Wave for Europe – greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives”. This Strategy aims at a refurbished and energy efficient building stock in the EU that will help pave the way for the decarbonisation of one of the largest energy consumer sectors in Europe, responsible for more than one third of the EU’s emissions.

The Renovation Wave is also a unique opportunity to create up to 160.000 sustainable green jobs and to boost growth within the framework of the post covid-19 recovery while reducing drastically greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ensuring a better living environment for European citizens. More than merely reducing GHG emissions this Renovation Wave Strategy is the unique chance for the EU building ecosystem to become a carbon sink improving the pool of carbon removals “through the promotion of green infrastructure and the use of organic building materials that can store carbon, such as sustainably-sourced wood”.

“By minimising the footprints of buildings and optimising carbon storage in natural, renewable building products and solutions, such as wood-based panels, we are taking an important leap towards the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal”, said Mr Clive Pinnington, EPF’s Managing Director.

Mr Alexis Kuhl, EPF’s Climate and Environment Advisor added: “Ensuring that the construction ecosystem is fit to deliver sustainable energy efficient renovation, based on circular, sustainable and climate-friendly solutions is the way forward. EPF strongly supports the EU’s aim to have building renovation as a priority for national recovery plans under the European Flagship “Renovate”.

Please find here a joint Press Release of EPF, CEI-Bois, EOS and FEP on the State of the Union address that European Commission President von der Leyen presented yesterday in the European Parliament’s plenary session.

In her statement, she clearly said that: “Our buildings generate 40% of our emissions. They need to become less wasteful, less expensive and more sustainable. And we know that the construction sector can even be turned from a carbon source into a carbon sink, if organic building materials like wood and smart technologies like AI are applied. I want NextGenerationEU to kickstart a European renovation wave and make our Union a leader in the circular economy.” Click here to see how she said it!

EPF is delighted to see wood, and therefore also wood-based panels, specifically highlighted at such a high political level as a core material for Europe’s recovery and future.  We are ready and committed to meet this ambition.

The full text of Mrs von der Leyen’s speech is available on video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBakPRQUq-I

Today, EC President Mrs Ursula von der Leyen made an important statement in her State of the Union address to the European Parliament: “Our buildings generate 40% of our emissions. They need to become less wasteful, less expensive and more sustainable. And we know that the construction sector can even be turned from a carbon source into a carbon sink, if organic building materials like wood and smart technologies like AI are applied. I want NextGenerationEU to kickstart a European renovation wave and make our Union a leader in the circular economy.” Click here to see how she said it!

The full speech of Mrs von der Leyen’s is available on video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBakPRQUq-I

Following the European Parliament’s recent declaration of a climate emergency, European Commission President von der Leyen unveiled in December 2019 the European Commission’s plans to achieve climate neutrality in the EU by 2050: the European Green Deal. The Commission President committed herself to deliver the first detailed proposals within the first 100 days in office. In January 2020, the Parliament voted on its Resolution on the Green Deal with a large majority calling for the decarbonisation ambitions to be set to at least 55% reduction of greenhouse gases emissions for 2030. Ahead of the March Plenary session in Strasbourg where the first set of statements will be presented by the European Commission on the Climate Law, the New Circular Economy Action Plan and the EU Industrial Strategy, EPF publishes today its Position Paper on the European Green Deal.

The Position Paper presents the priorities and demands of the wood-based panels industry with concrete proposals to stimulate the sector in line with the objectives of a circular and innovative economy as set by the guidelines of the European Green Deal. More specifically, the Paper presents a set of four concrete proposals to help the wood-based panels industry to contribute to the goals of the Green Deal:

• the guarantee of a level playing field and secure supply for wooden raw materials;
• the use of sustainable bio-based products to fight climate change;
• the cascade use of harvested wood products;
• the promotion of climate-friendly products.

Wood-based panels are innovative circular products that store carbon throughout their whole life cycle. They are mainly used for furniture, construction, packaging and other everyday applications.  Panels can help substitute energy-intensive fossil-based materials in construction and renovation of the built environment. Wood-based panels are time, cost and energy efficient and offer enormous potential towards delivering the societal change targeted by the European Green Deal.

Click for the full EPF Position Paper on the European Green Deal

• Ursula von der Leyen’s new Commission

The incoming Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the portfolio allocations for the new college of European Commissioners last week. The appointments are still subject to confirmation by the European Parliament, in a series of hearings starting 23 September and set to run for a couple of weeks.

On behalf of the wood-based panel industry, we would like to congratulate Frans Timmermans, Sylvie Goulard and Virginijus Sinkeviçius on their nominations as the members of the incoming Commission who will be most concerned with our sector of the European economy.

• Frans Timmermans – The European Green Deal

Politically, one of President von der Leyen’s most important objectives is the European Green Deal, which aims to bring Europe’s ambitions on tackling climate change, energy policy and environmental protection to a new level. This includes enshrining the target for EU climate neutrality into law by 2050, and more ambitious goals on reducing emissions. To deliver on this promise, President von der Leyen has nominated Frans Timmermans, a Dutch Social Democrat and an incumbent Commission Vice President from the Juncker college.

As part of our industry contribution to the Green agenda, we are proud that the natural carbon sink properties of wood-based panels make the increased use of harvested wood products, such as panels, an ideal route towards the EU’s achievement of the Paris Agreement’s climate goals. Thanks to their positive effects on the environment, natural materials such as wood-based panels are well placed to contribute to the global efforts to mitigate climate change. For this reason, we urge for greater use of panels in furniture, construction, packaging and in other every day applications.

To find out more, please consult our website

• Sylvie Goulard – Internal Market

Sylvie Goulard is a former member of the European Parliament and has been nominated for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs portfolio in the new College of Commissioners.

One of her tasks will be ensuring that the EU Circular Economy Action Plan feeds into the overall EU industrial strategy. To this end, we welcome Mrs Goulard’s ambition to implement the Action Plan and to ensure an efficient and optimal use of European resources, including wood-based materials.

We also encourage Commissioner Goulard to maintain harmonised European rules as a cornerstone of the Single Market, especially in the context of the Construction Products Regulation. We oppose fragmentation on every level and promote common legislation throughout Europe for the production, import and marketing of wood-based panels.

We firmly believe that a level playing field is central to the re-establishment of a strong industrial core at the heart of Europe. For this reason, EPF has recently joined a coalition of 145 European federations known as Industry4Europe.  Together we call on the European Union to implement an ambitious EU industrial strategy with a long-term vision and action plan

To find out more about how we support Industry4Europe, please consult the website.

• Virginijus Sinkeviçius – Environment and Oceans

The Lithuanian nominee Virginijus Sinkeviçius will be the first-ever “Greens” Commissioner. In this capacity he will lead the Commission’s work on the new Circular Economy Action Plan, looking at how to contribute to a climate-neutral economy by increasing material circulation, encouraging sustainable material cycles and addressing the environmental impact of the sourcing of raw materials.

To that end, we encourage him to enhance the role of natural materials and, in particular, the role of wood-based panels in the EU’s bio and circular economy ambitions. Panels use material from sustainable sources, with more than half of the woody biomass raw material being either recycled or an industrial by-product.

Panels are a model example of the circular economy, especially due to the principle of the “cascading use” of wood. By using, re-using and recycling wood, our industry seeks to keep this valuable resource in the material and economic cycle as long as possible.

To find out more about how we support the “cascading use” of wood, please consult our website, and to find out more about our sustainability priorities, please click here.