Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: The Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi) is strategically engaged on climate change policy in the EU. The association has taken some positive positions in its top-line messaging and on specific climate- and land-use related legislation in the EU, albeit with exceptions.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Cepi engages with some positive positions on climate policy in its top-line messaging, albeit with exceptions. The association supported the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target in a November 2023 position paper and a September 2024 publication. Although Cepi strongly supported the EU’s Fit for 55 Package in a November 2023 position paper, Director-General Jori Ringman signed the February 2024 Antwerp Declaration, in which signatories advocated against prescriptive regulations following the EU Green Deal targets and emphasized the impacts on international competitiveness of climate policy. However, in a November 2024 joint letter, Cepi stated support for an Industrial Deal that "should not be to the detriment of the EU’s environmental and societal goals". InfluenceMap did not detect a position on the UN Paris Agreement in 2023-25.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policies: Cepi appears to engage with a mix of positive and negative positions on climate-related policies in the EU.
The association did not support reforms to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). For example, it advocated against reducing indirect cost compensation in a December 2024 joint recommendation. Additionally, Cepi appeared to support maintaining free allocation of emissions allowances and indirect carbon cost compensation under the EU ETS in an April 2025 report.
Cepi did not appear to support prioritizing reuse over recycling in the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) in a January 2023 position paper. However, in an April 2024 press release the association appeared to broadly support the PPWR and its rapid implementation.
In a November 2023 publication, Cepi supported National Energy and Climate Plans ambitions in line with the EU Renewable Energy Directive III (RED) and the EU Solar Energy Strategy. The association also supported measures to boost the deployment of renewables in the EU Electricity Market Design reform, including power purchase agreements and two-way contracts for difference in December 2024 joint recommendations.
Positioning on Land Use Policy: Cepi appeared to support active forest management to protect forest carbon sinks in a June 2023 public consultation response. However, in the same response, Cepi advocated for the use of wood-based products as carbon storage and as a replacement for fossil-based products, and in an April 2024 press release, it appeared to advocate for forest-based products to count as carbon removals under the EU Carbon Removals Certification Framework. In both cases, it did not clarify how these positions might impact forest carbon sink protection. The association’s Director General, Jori Ringman, supported the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products with major exceptions in an October 2024 press release, stating support for its goal but advocating for delaying its implementation period.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Cepi appeared to broadly support the energy transition, with some unclear specifications. The association supported the decarbonization of the energy sector in a November 2023 publication and advocated for government support for affordable fossil-free energy sources to enable the decarbonization of industry in a June 2023 EU public consultation response. In an April 2025 report, Cepi appeared to support industrial decarbonization, advocating for a transition to fossil-free energy. Cepi consistently advocated to replace fossil-based products and energy with wood-based products, however without clearly aligning this position with IPCC recommendations, for example in a February 2024 position paper and in a June 2023 EU public consultation response. Cepi supported CCU from biogenic sources in the short and medium term in line with IPCC uses, and recognised the need for the phase out of fossil fuel products in a September 2024 publication.
In an Antwerp Declaration signatories joint recommendation published in December 2024, Cepi supported the EU Electricity Market Design reform with major exceptions by appearing unsupportive of prioritizing non-fossil flexibility support schemes. However, in the same joint recommendation, the association broadly supported the Clean Industrial Deal to move towards decarbonization of the energy sector, advocating for increased funding of low-carbon technologies and electrification of industry, and supporting grid expansion as well as access to clean energy generation.
The association broadly supported measures to certify carbon removals in line with the EU Commission’s ambition in an April 2024 press release. However, in a June 2023 public consultation response, Cepi did not clearly support a transition to mandatory carbon removal certification.