Following publication of the European Commission’s proposal for an Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) welcomes the recognition of glass manufacturing as a strategic industrial sector and the streamlining of permitting procedures for energy-intensive industry decarbonisation projects.
The proposed objective for manufacturing to account for at least 20 percent of EU GDP by 2035 sends an important signal of renewed industrial ambition. However, urgent action on multiple fronts is needed to get there and safeguard the competitiveness of the industry, while enabling decarbonisation at scale in a moment marked by increasing energy and carbon costs and intense competition, leading to unprecedented production decline and furnaces closures across Europe.
“Europe’s glass packaging industry is fully committed to decarbonisation and is investing to make it happen” said Carlo Pirrone, Secretary General of FEVE. “While today’s proposal is a step in the right direction, we need bolder action to lower energy prices, boost grids development and simplify rules to maintain our competitive edge.”
The European container glass industry stands as a resilient and strategically important contributor to the EU economy and to local supply chains. Glass packaging also underpins Europe’s global trade strength, supporting exports of high-value goods — from food and beverages to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics — worth over EUR 140 billion, or 6.1% of total EU exports. With the right framework conditions, the sector can deliver fully circular, non-toxic packaging solutions while advancing toward decarbonised manufacturing, preserving industrial capacity, jobs and strategic autonomy in Europe.