73 industry leaders spanning almost 20 industrial sectors presented ‘the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal’ to Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo and Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. The declaration underlines the commitment of industry to Europe and its transformation and outlines urgent industry needs to make Europe competitive, resilient, and sustainable in the face of dire economic conditions.
During a European Industry Summit held on the site of BASF in Antwerp, leaders from basic industry sectors, representing 7.8 million workers in Europe - including Cepi Chair and vice-Chair, Marco Eikelenboom and Ilkka Hämälä, as well as the Chair COBELPA Pierre Macharis, joined forces with European trade unions and European leaders to address pressing concerns regarding Europe's industrial landscape. The ‘Antwerp Declaration’, supported by a wide range of sectors, emphasises the critical importance of clarity, predictability, and confidence in Europe's industrial policy.
The declaration outlines 10 concrete actions, including integrating the EU Industrial Deal into the broader European Strategic Agenda, streamlining legislation, and simplifying the State Aid framework. It calls to transform Europe into a global leader in providing abundant and affordable low-carbon energy through strategic partnerships and robust infrastructure, alongside a stronger support for EU projects. It emphasises the need to ensure raw material self-sufficiency, foster demand for sustainable products, and nurture innovation. Europe’s Single Market is also highlighted as an asset to be leveraged and revived, along with establishing a new spirit of law-making that incentivises investments and a cohesive internal structure for effective policy implementation.
Signatories of the Declaration include representatives from diverse sectors ranging from chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paper, steel, mining, aluminium, glass, zinc, metals, textiles, refineries, cement, lime, fertilisers, ceramics, industrial gases and biotech.
‘The Antwerp Declaration’ is an urgent call to revitalise Europe's industrial landscape, strengthening basic industry sectors, ensuring their competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience amid shifting geopolitics. And it underlines industry’s willingness to contribute to a stronger Europe. Only with a strong industrial fabric and a strengthened social dialogue in Europe can we ensure that the green transition is a just transition. The Declaration signifies a collaborative effort to tackle challenges and lays the groundwork for a reboot of industrial investment in Europe, marking the onset of the implementation of the European Green Deal.
Read the full Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal www.antwerp-declaration.eu
About Cepi :
Cepi is the European association representing the paper industry. We offer a wide range of renewable and recyclable wood-based fibre solutions to EU citizens: from packaging to textile, hygiene and tissue products, printing and graphic papers as well as speciality papers, but also bio-chemicals for food and pharmaceuticals, bio-composites and bioenergy. We are a responsible industry: 85% of our raw materials are sourced from within the European Union, 92% of the water we use is returned in good condition to the environment. We are the world champion in recycling at the rate of 71.4%. At the forefront of the decarbonisation and industrial transformation of our economy, we embrace digitalisation and bring 25 billion value addition to the European economy and €5 billion investments annually. Through its 19 national associations, Cepi gathers 500 companies operating 895 mills across Europe and directly employing more than 180,000 people.