Who we are
- The Circular Choices coalition, of which EPF is a founder member, comprises 20 EU trade associations in the wood, paper and fibre industries, commonly known in Brussels as the forest-based industries.
- The coalition covers more than 4 million European jobs, representing €520 billion in annual turnover, sourced in Europe, made in Europe and drawing on world leading European technology.
- The industries represented by Circular Choices today make a positive climate contribution equivalent to 20% of current EU fossil emissions with the potential to rise to 30% by 2030.
What strategic role does the coalition see for the wood, paper and fibre sector in 2024-2029?
- The Circular Choices coalition aims to work with the EU institutions to promote the policy and market conditions necessary in the EU to scale up the circular bioeconomy that our society urgently needs.
- Led by wood and wood-based products for construction, furniture, and other applications, and by paper and fibre for board, tissue, printed goods and packaging, with symbiotic energy recovery at the end and forestry management at the beginning, our industries focus on sustainable products and low fossil manufacturing processes to drive innovation, decarbonisation, and clean industrial growth.
- We aim to make a leading contribution to reaching climate neutrality by 2050 and delivering sustainable prosperity and competitiveness in Europe.
Key takeaways for wood-based panels in the executive policy recommendations launched this week
- Strengthening Europe’s industrial future: including policies to relaunch the competitiveness of Europe’s manufacturing and applying the cascading principle as per the European Commission’s 2018 guidelines.
- Ensuring Policy Coherence for a Competitive EU Bioeconomy: including sufficient and level-playing access to primary and secondary raw materials, and to abundant and affordable clean energy.
- Creating Quality Jobs: Including the development of skills, upskilling, and reskilling of current and future workers whilst highlighting the attractiveness of a safe and fulfilling career in our sector.
Next Steps
- The Circular Choices coalition will continue to advocate towards the EU institutions for a pivotal role of the forest-based bioeconomy in Europe’s present and future as it has done since its creation in 2023.
- In this context Circular Choices and its policy recommendations are fully complementary to WoodPoP’s policy paper launched last week.
Useful Links
- NEW Circular Choices policy recommendations executive summary.
- NEW Circular Choices website.
For further information contact EPF at info@europanels.org.
About EPF – The European Panel Federation has members in 30 European countries and represents the manufacturers of particleboard, MDF, OSB, hardboard, softboard and plywood. The EU wood-based panels industry has an annual turnover of about 25 billion euro and creates over 100,000 jobs annually. Contact us at info@europanels.org
