A new document from Glass for Europe sets out policies measures that need to be developed in the next five years to trigger the Renaissance of the European flat glass industry.
Glass for Europe, the association for Europe’ manufacturers of building, automotive and solar-energy glass is proud to release its policy manifesto for the next mandate of the European Commission and Parliament. The document entitled “Glass for Europe’s Industrial Renaissance” sets out policies measures that need to be developed in the next five years to trigger the Renaissance of the European flat glass industry.
The flat glass industry is an innovative and forward looking industrial actor of the European economy, manufacturing in Europe high-tech products essential to low-energy buildings and fuel efficient cars. However, the on-going economic recession has hardly hit the industry and puts in jeopardy the future of European manufacturing facilities, thousands of jobs, high added-value production and, in turn, Europe’s innovation lead in this field.
“In view of the current market situation in Europe, the fundamental issue for EU decision makers is whether or not in ten years high-tech flat glass products will still be manufactured in Europe or imported from outside” says Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe. “We strongly believe that there is a future in Europe for the manufacturing of high-tech glass products but this requires a shift in EU policy and the implementation of very concrete measures” he added.
Some of the proposals laid down in the manifesto include: the development of an energy labelling scheme for windows to support the market uptake of advanced glazing solutions and the promotion of building glass recycling to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from glass manufacturing. More globally, it calls on EU policies ensuring a level-playing field between EU and non-EU manufacturing industries and a reform of the EU climate and energy policies to ensure that Europe’s low-carbon objective becomes a growth-driver for EU industries.
Glass for Europe is the trade association for Europe’s manufacturers of flat glass and has four members: AGC Glass Europe, NSG-Group, Saint-Gobain Glass and Sisecam-Trakya Cam and works in association with Guardian. Altogether, these five companies represent 90% of Europe’s flat glass production.
Glass for Europe firmly believes that state-of-the-art glass can play a vital role in achieving the EU’s energy saving targets and promotes ambitious mechanisms to support the market uptake of energy-efficient glass technologies.