Annual Report 2015
Contents Foreword
3
Message from the President—Message from the Director General
Europe’s ceramic industry in 2015
4
Communications
5
New website—Ceramic executives meet Commissioners—MEPs engage with ceramic industry
Environment & Health
6
REACH Authorisation—BREF—Food contact
Climate & Energy
7
Energy Union—EU ETS phase III—EU ETS phase IV—Global climate negotiations in Paris
Construction & Sustainability
9
Circular economy—Fitness check on construction—Report on implementation of CPR—First meeting of CEN/TC 442 BIM—Resource efficient buildings study—GPP consultation
Trade & Internal market
12
Market access—Environmental Goods Agreement—Origin marking—Anti-dumping cases— CU Trade Working Group—Market Economy Status of China—International customs codes
Research & Innovation
15
Public Private Partnerships—Ceramic FP7 projects
Events
16
Ceramic Days—16th EPCF Plenary
External events
18
High-Level Group on Energy Intensive Industries—European Masonry Alliance—Meeting with DG GROW—European Seminar on Refractories
Sectoral activities
19
Global ceramic platforms—Cumulative Cost Impact Assessment—EU Water Label at ISH—TBE communications activities—Sectoral Congresses
European Parliament Ceramics Forum
21
Cerame-Unie structure
22
Presidents—Staff—External network
Membership Membership benefits—How to become a member
2
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Foreword Dear reader, Further to the European elections of 2014, the ceramic industry became better acquainted with the new Commission throughout 2015. Ceramic executives discussed key issues with Industry, Internal Market and SMEs Commissioner Bieńkowska and Research and Innovation Commissioner Moedas. In addition, Cerame-Unie joined nine other industries in a newly created High-Level Expert Group on Energy Intensive Industries, chaired by the Commission and attended by representatives from 15 Member States. Moreover, we welcome the new Commission’s focus on better regulation, including the decision to launch a Cumulative Cost Assessment in 2016 on the regulatory costs of relevant EU legislation and related national rules for our industry. The year 2015 also witnessed the intensification of our dialogue with the European Parliament under the EP Ceramics Forum. Indeed, EPCF Membership has risen to 23 MEPs from across party and national lines. We owe the successful exchanges with MEPs to our members’ actions at national level to raise awareness of the contributions made and challenges faced by the ceramic industry across Europe. The year culminated in the Ceramic Days and the 16th EPCF Plenary, attended by over 120 participants. The event addressed some of the most crucial issues for our industry, namely whether the EU should grant China Market Economy Status (no!) and whether full carbon leakage protection should be extended beyond 2020 for sectors under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (yes!). In that respect, we welcome the Commission’s approach in its proposal of 15 July to ensure equal protection against carbon leakage to all energy intensive industries, without introducing discriminations that would be enhanced by further “tiering”. I am confident that the cooperation Cerame-Unie enjoys with members and policymakers will continue to grow next year. Alain Delcourt, President of Cerame-Unie
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
Dear reader, As a diverse industry, ceramics are affected by policy areas ranging from trade and climate to construction and the environment. So it may come as no surprise that 2015 was a dynamic year for Cerame-Unie. Our industry was at the heart of the discussions on China’s Market Economy Status (MES) as a founding member of the AEGIS Europe alliance. As the debate crescendoed throughout the year, we played a key role in highlighting the importance of the anti-dumping instrument and the dangers of granting MES to a country that does not play by the same rules. At the COP21 climate negotiations in Paris, we called for a global level playing field and equal contributions from competing countries. With 10% of all installations under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme but only 1% of industrial emissions, the ceramic industry is committed to the EU’s climate ambitions. However, it is imperative that best performers receive full protection against carbon leakage. The Circular Economy Package published in late 2015 sets ambitious goals that the ceramic industry is keen to achieve, but in order to do so there is a need for a well-functioning market for secondary raw materials. Cerame-Unie’s visibility continued to increase in 2015, particularly due to a new and improved website. Our sectors were also active: sanitaryware promoted its voluntary EU Water Label at a major fair and tiles and bricks members published brochures on the advantages of pitched roofs and clay masonry products. Lastly, global cooperation between sectors continues to expand for the sanitaryware, refractories and wall and floor tiles sectors, particularly in relation to international customs codes. I look forward to further increasing our voice and visibility in Brussels in the coming years. Renaud Batier, Director General of Cerame-Unie
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Europe’s Ceramic Industry in 2015 According to preliminary Eurostat statistics, the European ceramic industry experienced a stable performance in 2015 in comparison with 2014. Indeed, the preliminary product value in 2015 is comparable to the level in 2014. The total product value is predicted to amount to € 28.3 billion, which remains close to 30% of pre-crisis levels. These results are notably related to the still fragile economic outlook in the European construction sector. According to Eurostat statistics in 2015, GDP rose by 1.8% in the EU28 and 1.5% in the eurozone. This is in line with the forecasts which foresaw a continuation of the economic recovery in 2015 and an acceleration in 2016 (+2.1%). In the construction sector, preliminary statistics on production value show an increase of production volumes by 0.8% in 2015, continuing the trend from the previous year (+0.7%). 40.00 35.00 Sanitaryware
BILLION EUROS
30.00
Table & ornamentalware
25.00
Technical ceramics
20.00
Abrasives
15.00
Refractories
10.00
Bricks, roof tiles & pipes Wall & floor tiles
5.00
0.00 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Source: Eurostat 2016
The leading Member States producing ceramics are Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the UK, Poland, Portugal and Austria. However, ceramic manufacturing is present in all Member States; it provides more than 200,000 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs in the upstream and downstream sectors. The ceramic sector contributes significantly to the EU’s trade balance. Around one third of the production value is related to exports outside the EU, which accounted for € 8.8 billion in 2015 and increased by 1.7% compared to the previous year. Although imports increased by 10%, the resulting trade balance of the EU in ceramics remain largely positive with net balance of € 4.4 billion.
BILLION EUROS
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Imports
Exports
Trade balance Source: Eurostat 2016
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Communications New website Cerame-Unie launched a new website in October. It is user-friendly and intuitive, with improved navigation and new functionalities. Moreover, consulting the new website on the go is smooth since it is fully responsive to mobile and tablet. “As an association in existence for over 50 years, we believe it is important to regularly refresh our look and ensure easy access to information about our industry,” said Renaud Batier, Director General of CerameUnie. “The new Cerame-Unie website is more attractive and cleverly designed, reflecting the modern and innovative character of the European ceramic industry.” The new platform also includes a members area intended to facilitate tailored communication between the association and its members. Visit www.cerameunie.eu to take a look.
MOEDAS
BIEŃKOWSKA
Ceramic executives meet Commissioners On 2 July ceramic executives had the opportunity to meet Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Single Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Executives from several European countries and ceramic sectors discussed the impact of European policies on an SME-driven and energy intensive industry like ceramics.
Executives from the ceramic industry met with Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, on 24 September. Cerame-Unie is active under Horizon2020 as a member of SPIRE and EeB. Moreover the industry carried out two projects under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), namely ReStaR and INSYSME (see p.15).
German MEP Jens Gieseke visited the facing brick company Olfry in northern Germany on 3 December. He took a tour of the brickworks with Udo von Frydag, the company’s owner, and Martin Roth, Managing Director of Bundesverband der Deutschen Ziegelindustrie e.V.
UK
Dutch MEP Annie SchreijerPierik presented her study on the implementation of Natura 2000 in the Netherlands on 1 December in Brussels. Ewald L.J. van Hal, Director of Dutch ceramic association KNB and member of CerameUnie, was invited to voice the brick industry’s concerns.
GERMANY
NETHERLANDS
MEPs engage with ceramic industry UK MEP Dan Dalton visited Ibstock Brick, the UK’s largest brickmaker on 4 December. In a BBC Radio Stoke interview, he called for equal carbon leakage protection under the post-2020 EU ETS review for all energy intensive industries, including ceramics.
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Environment & Health REACH Authorisation Refractory Ceramic Fibres, Borates and Coal tar pitch, high temperature are listed in the 5th and 6th ECHA recommendations for substances to be included in the REACH Authorisation list (Annex XIV). The REACH Committee meeting launched the discussions on their possible inclusion in October. These substances are of utmost importance to ceramic sectors and their downstream users. As there are socio-economic implications related to a possible inclusion, Cerame-Unie maintains that they should be excluded from the list.
CII PROPOSALS
The Cross Industry Initiative (CII), of which Cerame-Unie is a member, prepared a position paper asking the European Commission for better regulation in chemicals management. In particular, it focuses on the fact that for certain uses of substances the exposure is limited to the workplace. Hence workplace legislation— including binding occupational exposure limits (BOELs)—is better suited than the REACH Authorisation process to regulate these substances. The joint position paper, signed by 59 associations, makes suggestions for regulatory fitness, introducing greater efficiency and proportionality in chemicals management. Better
regulation in chemicals management requires identification, implementation and enforcement of the most effective risk management option, tailored to tackle a specific risk. When authorities identify a risk but find that it is limited to the workplace, then workplacespecific legislation offers the most targeted, effective and proportionate risk management approach. Adding Candidate Listing and REACH Authorisation will not improve workers’ protection. It may instead have a negative impact on, or even prevent, the achievement of key environmental and other policy objectives.
The process is still ongoing but the REACH Committee should come to a decision in the first half of 2016.
BREF The original Reference Document on Best Available Techniques (BAT) in the Ceramic Manufacturing Industry, the Ceramic BREF, was published in 2007. This Ceramic BREF is important for every ceramic sector as it plays an important role in the process designed to obtain the site's operating permit. The European Commission is expected to start revising the Ceramic BREF in 2017. In order to prepare for the revision, Cerame-Unie set up a Task Force composed of BREF experts from all ceramic sectors. The first CU BREF Task Force meeting took place in December and will continue to work throughout 2016.
Food contact FEPF, the Cerame-Unie member representing table- and ornamentalware, attended the fifth Joint Research Centre (JRC) workshop on ceramics in October in Ispra, Italy to discuss food contact materials. This meeting provided an opportunity for JRC to present preliminary testing results of bakeware. While the legal limits on lead and cadmium release are still under discussion and yet to be defined, the limits would only have to be achieved after the third migration test (based on 4% acetic acid, for 24 hours at room temperature) in order to take into account the decreasing migration at repeated exposure.
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At JRC’s request, FEPF agreed to organise a sampling exercise and provide additional representative types of bakeware. All samples should indicate the origin and name/address of the manufacturer in order to trace the sampled products and provide the results to companies bilaterally. CU member EEA, representing the porcelain enamel industry, also agreed to send some samples. The results of these tests should feed into an update of the European Commission legislation on food contact materials. An impact assessment is expected, however the timeline is not yet confirmed. Work will continue in 2016.
Climate & Energy Energy Union The Energy Union, one of the Juncker Commission’s main priorities, was launched in February with the European Commission’s adoption of the framework strategy. In March, the European Council confirmed in its Summit conclusions that “the EU is committed to building an Energy Union with a forward-looking climate policy”. Maros Šefčovič, European Commission Vice-President, set out on an Energy Union Tour in order to visit all EU countries and present the benefits of the Energy Union. The key findings from the visits fed into policy conclusions and 28 country factsheets. Consequently, in November the Commission presented the State of the Energy Union communication, which summarises the progress made so far towards building the Energy Union and presents a way forward. In December the European Parliament adopted Towards a European Energy Union, a resolution that calls for a fully integrated European energy market and focuses on security of supply, energy efficiency as a ‘first fuel’ and sustainable economy, in particular decarbonising the transport sector. It mentions the energy efficiency potential in buildings and stresses that “it is necessary to increase both the depth and the rate of building renovation”. The updated Roadmap for the Energy Union presents the range of legislation that should be revisited in the next few years under the scope of the Energy Union. Cerame-Unie is continuously monitoring and contributing to the development of the legislative work on the relevant topics.
Functioning of EU ETS refined with MSR The Market Stability Reserve (MSR) is an instrument proposed as a structural solution to address a surplus of allowances on the EU carbon market and ultimately to increase the CO2 allowance price. The European Parliament, Council and Commission agreed on the main elements of the MSR in May. It was later adopted in the EP Plenary session then approved by the EU Environment Ministers in September. According to the agreement, the MSR would start on 1 January 2019 and 900 million back-loaded allowances will be transferred to the reserve instead of being auctioned off in 2019-2020. Furthermore, unallocated allowances from the new entrants reserve and plant closures will also be transferred to the MSR. Several Member States voiced their objections in the Council and opposed the final text as they believe that making MSR operational prior to 2021 will undermine the predictability of the carbon market for industry. Ever since the proposal was launched, Cerame-Unie, together with BUSINESSEUROPE and the Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries, advocated for the MSR to be addressed as part of the post-2020 EU ETS reform rather than under phase III.
Post-2020 EU ETS reform Following the European Council agreement on the 2030 climate and energy framework in late 2014, a debate started in 2015 on how to reach the EU’s emission reduction ambitions by reforming the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for the 2021-2030 period. According to the Council conclusions, sectors under the ETS have to reduce their emissions by 43% compared with 2005, but at the same time the text specified that “in order to maintain international competitiveness, the most efficient installations in these sectors should not face undue carbon costs leading to carbon leakage”. Cerame-Unie, as an active contributor to the EU ETS revision debate, published an initial position paper on post 2020 EU ETS in February. In April the Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries, made up of Cerame-Unie plus 12 other industries, released a paper offering common recommendations on carbon leakage protection, free allocation principles and competitiveness under EU ETS.
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The European Commission published its proposal for the revision of EU ETS directive in July. The proposal intends to decline the overall number of emissions allowances at an annual rate of 2.2% from 2021 onwards and fix their auctioning volume at 57%. It further suggests focusing free allocations on the sectors at highest risk of carbon leakage and proposes a stringent flat-rate update of benchmarks to reflect technological advances since 2008. The measures to support certain energy-intensive industries in the event of carbon leakage are intended for sectors for which emission intensity multiplied by trade intensity exceeds a factor of 0.2. It maintains an assessment based on qualitative criteria but suggests this only be available for sectors above a threshold of 0.18. Cerame-Unie informed the European Commission of the industry’s concerns, for example on the proposal of the 0.18 threshold, and published an updated version of the position paper on post-2020 EU ETS review in October. The Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries also voiced its concerns in a joint press release. In late October the Environment Council held a first exchange of views on the EU ETS Directive review. While Member States agreed that it is crucial to maintain measures against the risk of carbon leakage, the debate focused on the distribution key for the shrinking amount of free allowances. France and the UK called for a more focused approach to the carbon leakage list, advocating for tiered evidence-based methodology. If adopted, differentiation between industries at risk of carbon leakage would ultimately mean reduced carbon leakage protection for many energy-intensive sectors, including ceramics. The EU ETS Directive review was addressed in a panel debate at the 16th Plenary European Parliament Ceramics Forum in December, with speakers from the European Parliament, the European Commission, Council Presidency and industry (see p.17). The negotiations between the EU Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission are expected to continue until at least mid-2017. The EU ETS Directive review will be adopted with the ordinary legislative procedure.
Global climate negotiations in Paris A global climate agreement was reached at COP 21 in Paris in December. The negotiating parties, aiming to strengthen the response to the threat of climate change, agreed that the rise in global temperature should remain “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C”. According to the agreement, all parties are obliged to submit nationally determined contributions, which constitute their non-binding mitigation pledges to be reviewed for progress every five years. Developed countries will continue taking the lead, while the developing countries are encouraged to move towards economy-wide emissions reduction targets “in light of different national circumstances”. The treaty will enter into force after it is ratified by 55 countries that together account for at least 55% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, which is expected by 2020. The ceramic industry, whose representatives were also present in Paris, actively contributes to the achievement of global climate goals by investing in energy efficiency and CO2 reduction and by innovating in more energy efficient products. The industry participates in the EU ETS scheme with the largest number of installations in the EU (1,200) representing only 1% of total industrial emissions. Restoring an equal level playing field worldwide is essential for European manufacturing industries that compete globally, such as ceramics.
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Construction & Sustainability Circular economy
CU MESSAGES
In 2015 the European Commission (EC) worked on a new and more ambitious circular economy package to turn Europe into a more resource-efficient economy. In this context, DG Environment launched a consultation on the circular economy to which Cerame-Unie replied and delivered the following general messages: Priority should be given to home appliances and office equipment; CU supports CEN/TC350 voluntary standards for assessing the sustainability of buildings; Relevant energy savings can be obtained through a proper design of buildings; The durability of construction products is an important factor in the resource efficiency of
buildings and should be appropriately reflected in European policy; Policy needs to be designed from a full supply chain perspective whereby the economics of recycling are weighed against the environmental and social impacts; More innovation is needed through EU financing.
Ahead of the release of the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Resource Efficiency Alliance published a position paper outlining a number of key principles that are important in order to achieve a true circular economy in line with EU industrial policy. The Alliance consists of 12 industry associations, including Cerame-Unie, which want to play a central role in enhancing the sustainable and efficient management of resources throughout the value chain. An industry delegation including Cerame-Unie was invited to meet DG GROW and DG ENVI in May to present the Alliance’s views. In September Cerame-Unie spoke at the Knowledge 4 Innovation (K4I) Forum Dinner Debate on circular economy, organised in cooperation with Cefic and SPIRE Public-Private Partnership and hosted by MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen. Cerame-Unie’s contribution focused on the importance of using better when it comes to resource efficiency.
EU KEY ACTIONS
The EC published the new Circular Economy Package in December, outlining the shift from a linear to a circular economy, which includes revised legislative proposals on waste. The EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy establishes key actions in the following areas: Product design: The EC will promote reparability, upgradability, durability and recyclability of
products under the framework of the Ecodesign Directive. Production process: Guidance on best waste management and resource efficiency practices in industrial sectors will be included in BREFs. Consumption: The EC will include requirements on durability and availability of repair information and spare parts in its work on Ecodesign. Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste: The EC aims to ensure the recovery of valuable resources and appropriate C&D waste management. The EC is also developing an EU framework of core indicators for the assessment of the environmental performance of buildings. Monitoring circular economy: The EC will use Eurostat data to monitor progress towards a more circular economy. Waste: For a well-functioning market for secondary raw materials, the EC will focus on the development of quality standards for secondary raw materials and high-quality statistics across the EU.
Cerame-Unie will be working together with its members to address the key actions identified in the Package, particularly regarding waste.
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Fitness check on construction In the Annex 3 of the Commission Work Programme for 2015, the European Commission announced its intention to carry out a fitness check on the construction sector. To this end, the European Commission launched two supporting studies to assess the impact of EU legislation on the construction sector. The first supporting study is being conducted by the Italian consultancy company Economisti Associati. It started in May and aims at estimating the costs and benefits of EU legislation in two policy areas: internal market and energy efficiency. It is focused on construction of buildings (not infrastructure), construction products and construction-related professional services. The study will only look at EU legislation in force between 2004 and 2014. The list of proposed legislation for further analysis include: Construction Products Regulation (CPR), Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), Ecodesign Directive and Energy Labelling Directive. With regards to the CPR, the study will look at the administrative costs/savings linked to (1) the provision of Declarations of Performance (DoPs) to customers and (2) the application of CE marking on construction products. Economisti Associati launched an online survey to collect stakeholders' views to which Cerame-Unie replied with key messages. The second supporting study will start in early 2016 with a focus on EU legislation on Environment, Health and Safety. At a Construction Products Europe (CPE) workshop in November, Ms Arantxa Hernandez (DG GROW Unit C1 - Clean Technologies and Products) indicated that some stakeholders will be interviewed and a public consultation will be launched in 2016. Both reports are expected to be finalised in summer 2016.
Report on implementation of CPR The European Commission, specifically DG Growth, held a consultation on the implementation of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), carried out by UK consultancy company Risk & Policy Analysts (RPA), and invited all stakeholders to give feedback by December 2014. Although the CPR recently entered into force, the European Commission is already keen to analyse how the CPR is being implemented based on the experience of key stakeholders in different Member States. CU replied to this consultation and indicated that a simplified CE marking containing minimum mandatory information is needed to reduce the burdens placed on construction products manufacturers. RPA and the European Commission organised a workshop in March in Brussels to present the preliminary results of the CPR consultation. The European Commission, public authorities and representatives from various industries came together to discuss the obstacles found with the implementation of this regulation. RPA presented the conclusions and recommendations from the final report on the implementation of the CPR at the Thematic Group 4 meeting on Internal Market in September. The findings of the RPA report show that the transition from the Declaration of Conformity to the Declaration of Performance (DoP) went smoothly. According to various manufacturers, the supply of DoPs on websites is now common practice. The report recommended reducing the content in the CE marking as the complete information is already available on DoPs. Other conclusions include improving market surveillance and the services of Product Contact Points for Construction in Member States. This report will be used as input for the European Commission report, which should be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council in April 2016. Furthermore, DG Growthpublished a CE marking guide to help manufacturers to CE mark their products according to the requirements of the CPR. The document is now available in all EU languages and can be downloaded here.
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First meeting of CEN/TC 442 BIM The first meeting of CEN/TC 442 BIM took place in September. This committee will “develop a structured set of standards, specifications and reports which specify methodologies to define, describe, exchange, monitor, record and securely handle asset data, semantics and processes with links to geospatial and other external data”.
WGS
Several working groups were established:
WG1 Strategy & planning (secretariat: UK) WG2 Exchange information (secretariat: Germany) WG3 Information delivery specification (secretariat: Austria) WG4 Data dictionary (secretariat: France)
Resource efficient buildings study Following the Communication Resource Efficiency Opportunities in the building sector, the European Commission launched a ‘Resource Efficient Buildings’ study to develop a common EU framework of core indicators to assess the environmental performance of buildings. DG ENVI and DG GROW are coordinating the development of this framework, but the study will be carried out by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in 20152017. Cerame-Unie attended the first stakeholder WG in June in Brussels. The goal of this meeting was to discuss the macro objectives for the resource efficiency of EU buildings. A public consultation will take place in summer 2016.
GPP consultation The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published draft documents of the Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for office buildings in December 2014. CU submitted comments underlining that the GPP proposal should also include durability and fire safety criteria. Additionally, it was highlighted that the GPP for office buildings must consider the environmental impacts generated in the use phase of a building.
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Trade & Internal market Market access
NORTH AMERICA
SOUTH AMERICA EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD
The increasing trend of protectionism continued in 2015 and the EU ceramic industry continues to face over 100 tariff and non-tariff barriers in 40 countries, as reported in the Cerame-Unie market access and certification requirements (available to CU members). Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt introduced technical barriers to trade, notably on imports of wall and floor tiles. Tunisia initiated a safeguard investigation on imports of ceramic wall and floor tiles into Tunisia and ceramic tiles member CET took part in the investigation. The EU ceramic tiles producers were alerted to a possible anti-dumping challenge in Morocco, but the complaint was not accepted by the Moroccan authorities. In late 2015 Egypt announced a new Decree that amounts to a protectionist measure; the EU will address this issue with Egypt in early 2016. Turkey initiated a safeguard investigation in April on imports of porcelain and non-porcelain tableware and kitchenware. Cerame-Unie and its tableware member FEPF registered as interested parties and sent the investigating authorities a reply to the questionnaire calling for a more appropriate trade defence measure rather than the blanket imposition of the measure on all countries. On the positive side, Algeria, Belarus, and Lebanon continued to liberalise their import tariffs on a number of ceramic goods.
Brazil and Ecuador have maintained existing trade barriers, including tariffs on magnesia bricks. In March, Ecuador adopted import surcharges on balance-of-payments grounds consisting of import tariffs of 5-45% on approximately 32% of products, including ceramic tiles. The Ecuadorian measures will remain in place for 15 months, after which they will be gradually phased out. Cerame-Unie intervened on this issue at the Market Access Advisory Committee meeting as well as at the meeting between DG Trade and the CU Trade Working Group. CU hopes that the EUEcuador Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in 2014, will bring a swift reduction in tariffs for ceramic tiles exported to Ecuador. Brazil's federal government published Provisional Measure No 668/2015, which increases the general rates of PIS and COFINS (social taxes) from 9.25% to 11.75% on the import of select products from 1 May 2015. CU is eager to know the outcome of the European Commission’s legal assessment of this measure’s compatibility with the WTO.
Representing an industry 80% composed of SMEs, Cerame-Unie closely followed the publication of EU negotiating texts and their summaries especially on SMEs and technical barriers to trade. In 2015 several publications and an event highlighted the potential benefits of TTIP for SME-driven sectors like ceramics. CU participated in the BUSINESSEUROPE breakfast debate TTIP: is it good for SMEs?, an event organised in January in the European Parliament and hosted by MEP Bernd Lange. CU hopes that peak tariffs of around 25-28% for tableware and 8.5-10% for ceramic tiles will be removed as a result of the trade agreement. CU continued to provide its feedback on various occasions on market access issues concerning EU trade in ceramic goods with the US and its impact on small and medium sized enterprises.
Environmental Goods Agreement
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The Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) aims to liberalise tariff lines on “green goods” and reduce tariffs to 5% or less among 17 participating countries. The EU ceramic industry maintains the need to keep ceramic products outside of the scope of the EGA. CU is concerned by the lack of the definition of green goods and the lack of enforcement at EU customs. The CU Trade Working Group presented the industry’s views in a meeting with DG Trade in May. CU actively contributed to public stakeholder meetings in June and September and remains in bilateral contact with DG Trade.
Origin marking Cerame-Unie closely followed the Competitiveness Council discussions in May on a compromise to the mandatory origin marking provision (art.7) of the Consumer Product Safety Regulation (CPSR). This meeting came on the heels of an exchange between Attachés regarding the European Commission's technical study on the impact and benefits of origin marking for selected consumer goods. While the Latvian Presidency put forward a compromise proposal restricting origin marking to footwear and ceramic tableware, several Members States restated their strong support for mandatory origin marking on five consumer goods sectors namely footwear, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and furniture. Commissioner Bieńkowska asked Member States not to further delay the adoption of the CPSR, but unfortunately the talks did not continue under the Luxembourg Presidency. At an S&D IMCO workshop organised in September on product safety and traceability, MEPs restated their strong support for mandatory origin marking as proposed in the CPSR Regulation. Cerame-Unie supports mandatory origin marking for consumer goods such as ceramic tableware, ceramic wall and floor tiles and clay roofing tiles as it would provide consumers with reliable and transparent information.
WALL AND FLOOR TILES
CERAMIC TABLEWARE
Anti-dumping cases Cerame-Unie continued to collect feedback from its tableware members throughout 2015, marking the second year of anti-dumping duties. CU participated in the new court challenge to the antidumping tableware case brought by the company Photo USA as well as in the written procedure of this new appeal (C-31/15 P) that strives to contest the Court judgment. Despite the fact that the appeal was dismissed, Photo USA appealed again on the basis of the product scope and competition issues. The written procedure has ended and the Court will now decide whether to hold a hearing or deliver a judgment without holding a hearing. Additionally, UK preliminary ruling case C -232/14 indirectly challenged the definitive anti-dumping regulation on imports of ceramic tableand kitchenware from China. The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice delivered an opinion affirming that the regulation is valid on all of the grounds raised. All judicial challenges confirm the validity of the measures on ceramic wall and floor tiles. In addition to the two appeals filed directly to the European Court of Justice which were rejected in 2014, two cases forwarded by the German and Swedish judges to the Court of Justice in Luxembourg were terminated in 2015. In May, Advocate General Sharpston published her opinion on cases Fliesen-Zentrum v Hauptzollamt Regensburg (C-687/13) and Bricmate AB v Tullverket (C569/13). Further to a thorough analysis of the pleas made at national level it was concluded in both cases that the Court of Justice should answer that the Council Regulation imposing antidumping duties on ceramic tiles cannot be invalidated on the grounds raised in the two requests for preliminary ruling. The final decision by the Court was delivered in September. In both cases, the ECJ, having taken into account all elements at hand as well as the opinions of the Advocates General, confirmed the validity of the Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 917/2011 of 12 September 2011 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of ceramic tiles from China.
CU Trade Working Group The Cerame-Unie Trade Working Group met with the European Commission in May to discuss horizontal trade policy issues impacting the ceramic industry such as market access, EU Free Trade Agreements, trade defence instruments and their modernisation and access to raw materials. Conflict minerals and enforcement of international trade rules were also of interest. The CU Trade WG group consists of more than 40 participants from nine ceramic sectors and various EU Member States. The objectives of the CU Trade WG are to inform and consult CU members on trade-related issues in a more streamlined way as well as to effectively respond to the Commission’s consultations, notifications and to increase the visibility of the ceramic industry at EU level through forums, workshops and meetings with DG Trade.
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Market Economy Status of China Cerame-Unie followed the unfolding discussion on the Market Economy Status (MES) of China throughout 2015. Cerame-Unie is a founding member of industry alliance AEGIS Europe, a grouping of 30 industrial associations dedicated to ensuring that EU policymakers work towards free and fair international trade. AEGIS members are leaders in sustainable manufacturing and account for more than €500 billion in annual turnover and millions of jobs across the EU. Cerame-Unie and AEGIS Europe actively communicated in 2015 on the severe risks to the EU’s manufacturing industry should China be granted MES, thereby removing the possibility to use anti-dumping measures. There are more than 300,000 jobs currently covered by anti-dumping (AD) cases in Europe. One third of these jobs (100,000) are direct ceramic jobs, many of which are in SMEs. The jobs are directly impacted by the two ongoing anti-dumping measures against China in the ceramic tiles and tableware sectors and amount to half of total direct ceramic jobs (200,000). Due to the absence of anti-dumping measures in the tableware sector from 2004 to 2011, China’s market share increased from 20% to almost 70% causing the sector to lose over 33,000 direct jobs. Find out more about AEGIS Europe at www.aegiseurope.eu.
WALL AND FLOOR TILES
Customs codes As a result of the good cooperation between the members of the World Ceramic Tiles Forum (WCTF), the review of HS codes 6807 and 6808 for ceramic tiles was formally approved in May 2014 by the World Customs Organisation (WCO). The new classification to come into force in 2017 will no longer distinguish between glazed and unglazed tiles. Instead, the new classification will better reflect the distinction between porcelain and non-porcelain tiles. Further to this development, the World Customs Organisation is now in the process of adapting the explanatory notes to be used by customs officials as support for the interpretation of the new codes after 2017. Discussions have focused around the guidance on how to assess the water absorption for the purpose of customs classification. In that respect, this particular aspect was discussed at the 2015 WCTF in Sevilla (see p.19). The WCTF expressed its expectation that the new HS explanatory notes will reflect the resolution adopted by ISO TC 189 on 11 November in favour of a process which will eventually lead to the replacement of the so-called “ISO Boil” test method by the “ISO vacuum” test method. These test methods are used to determine the water absorption level of ceramic tiles, the key criterion for classification as of 2017. WCTF members also reiterated their support for a common approach ahead of the entry into force of the new HS codes, stressing the need to simplify customs codes classification. To achieve this, it is crucial that national and regional customs authorities maintain the six-digit HS codes without introducing further sub-distinctions when implementing these international codes at national level.
TABLEWARE
If successfully implemented, these codes will provide more reliable customs classification and international trade statistics in line with the reality of the production and markets.
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CU tableware member FEPF attended the 149th meeting of the EU Customs Code Committee in March where it presented its proposal for changes to the CN codes. There were no objections from Member States and further to an internal procedure, the new codes, based on the FEPF proposal for CN modifications for non-porcelain tableware, were published in the Official Journal (L 285, OJ 30 October 2015). The new codes enter into force in January 2016. The changes will affect imports and exports data alike and will also be transposed on production statistics.
Research & Innovation Public Private Partnerships
EEB
SPIRE
Cerame-Unie is a proud member of two associations both governing the private part of a public private partnership (PPP) funded under Horizon2020. Cerame-Unie is a founding member of A.SPIRE aisbl, the private part of the PPP SPIRE that focuses on the sustainable process industries. A.SPIRE represents more than 45 industrial and research process industry stakeholders from over a dozen countries throughout Europe. Cerame-Unie gave a welcome speech at the SPIRE event Connecting innovative small & big industries in June. As an SME sector and founding member of A.SPIRE, CU highlighted the importance of SMEs receiving EU funding for research. SMEs face many difficulties when seeking EU funding including limited resources, both human and financial, and a lack of connections at EU level. But European and national structures, i.e. associations and research centres, can help SMEs to participate in research projects. Other events CU attended include the SPIRE Brokerage event in June on the 2016-2017 work programme, the European Commission InfoDays on PPPs and energy efficiency and the 2015 SPIRE General Assembly in Brussels. Energy-efficient buildings (EeB) is a PPP that aims to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Cerame-Unie is a member of the private part of the PPP, the Energy Efficient Buildings Association (E2BA), which in May became the European Construction Technology Platform aisbl (ECTP). The PPP aims to decrease energy consumption and reduce CO2 emissions in new and existing buildings across the EU. To achieve this aim, research into key technologies as well as a competitive industry in the fields of energy efficient construction processes, products and services are both needed. CU regularly attends meetings, including the General Assembly in June in Brussels.
Ceramic FP7 projects
RESTAR
INSYSME
Cerame-Unie is a dissemination partner in two Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) projects which started in October 2013. INSYSME, which stands for “INnovative SYStems for earthquake resistant Masonry Enclosures in reinforced concrete framed buildings”, involves cooperation between national associations, research institutes and companies from seven European countries. NTUA hosted the INSYSME 18month meeting in March in Athens, Greece. TBE, a dissemination partner, followed the meeting by telephone conference. The first day of the meeting was dedicated to project review with the European Commission Project Officer and the Technical Expert. The second day of the meeting focused on analysing the status of the project and planning future activities. Participants also had the chance to visit NTUA's Laboratories of Reinforced Concrete Earthquake Engineering. TBE will host the next meeting in January 2016 in Brussels on the 27-month progress of the project. Launched in October 2013, the ReStaR project concluded after two years with a presentation to the Research Executive Agency (REA) in November 2015. This project was funded under the EU’s 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7) and involved 13 partners (RTDs and SMEs) in 7 countries. It aimed at improving, promoting and ensuring the reliability, precision and efficiency of the current European testing standards that form the basis of the technical data sheets for refractory products. The REA/European Commission were pleased with the project, highlighting the high quality of the technical work and its dissemination through articles, presentations at events and the website. Work is still ongoing at standardisation level under the EU framework (CEN TC187) and at ISO level. In particular, the work under ReStaR led to the drafting of revised EN testing standards and to the start of the discussion at ISO level.
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Events Ceramic Days The 2015 Ceramic Days were organised by Cerame-Unie from 29 November to 2 December in Brussels. Over 120 participants attended sectoral meetings, the Cerame-Unie General Assembly and public debates. On 1 December, MEP Paul Rübig and MEP Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero co-hosted the 16th European Parliament Ceramics Forum (EPCF).
16th EPCF Plenary The European Parliament Ceramics Forum (EPCF) met on 1 December for its 16th Plenary meeting in Brussels. Trade, particularly the thorny issue of whether or not to grant China Market Economy Status, and climate, namely the carbon leakage protection in the post-2020 review of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, featured on the agenda. The event was co-hosted by EPCF Chairs MEP Paul Rübig and MEP Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero, and attracted over 120 participants from EU institutions, the ceramic industry and other stakeholders. Setting the scene for the event, Vice-President of the European Parliament MEP Antonio Tajani highlighted the ceramic industry’s significant contribution to the target of 20% share of GDP for European industry by 2020. He maintained that a strong industrial policy and a level playing field are crucial for EU to compete at global level. Antonio Tajani © triptyque
EU Trade Defence Instruments and the non-Market Economy Status (MES) of China The first panel, EU Trade Defence Instruments and the non-Market Economy Status (MES) of China, was moderated by MEP Jude-Kirton Darling. Panellists included MEP Rodríguez-Piñero, DG Trade Director Leopoldo Rubinacci, AEGIS Europe spokesperson Ines Van Lierde and CerameUnie President Alain Delcourt. The topic, currently under discussion in the European institutions, could have severe economic consequences for many EU manufacturing sectors including the ceramic industry. The question of whether or not to grant MES to China originally evolved out of a subparagraph of China’s WTO Accession Protocol expiring in late 2016. The current debate, however, acknowledges that granting MES is not necessarily automatic and all agree that China does not meet EU criteria to be considered a market economy.
MEPs Rodríguez-Piñero, Kirton-Darling, Ms Van Lierde © triptyque
While some argue that it is a political decision, the industry urges policymakers not to ignore the economic reality, namely that removing anti-dumping measures would put at least 100,000 direct EU ceramic jobs at risk. Moreover, a recent independent study found that up to 3.5 million EU jobs could be at risk if China were granted MES prematurely. Mr Delcourt © triptyque
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Mr Rubinacci © triptyque
A level playing field is absolutely critical for European industry to maintain and create EU jobs. Consequently, before making any proposal, EU policymakers should conduct a full impact assessment, coordinate with major trading partners and ensure the continued efficiency of the EU’s trade defence instruments, in particular for SMEs. Post-2020 EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the context of COP21 The second panel, Post-2020 EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the context of COP21 moderated by MEP Rübig, looked at the EU ETS review proposed by the European Commission in July. The panel brought together DG CLIMA Head of Unit Hans Bergman, EPP shadow rapporteur on EU ETS review MEP Ivo Belet, Luxembourgish Environment Attaché Christophe Hansen, MEP José Inácio Faria and Wienerberger CEO Heimo Scheuch.
Mr Bergman, Mr Hansen, Dr Scheuch © triptyque
The ceramic industry is a key player in the debate on EU ETS with 1,200 installations but less than 1% of the emissions. Speakers agreed that EU ETS legislation post 2020 should include protection measures for sectors at risk of carbon leakage. Although not in the European Commission proposal, the panel addressed the request from some Member States to consider differentiation between sectors in terms of carbon leakage protection levels. The ceramic industry is convinced that this is not the right way forward as it may lead to an unequal level playing field even on the EU internal market. As a highly innovative and efficient sector, the industry actively contributes to the achievement of the EU’s climate targets. But for long-term investment it is essential that the ceramic industry receives full carbon leakage protection after 2020. Regarding the ongoing climate negotiations in Paris, panellists expressed their hope that COP21 will result in a strong and legally binding global agreement.
MEPs Faria, Belet, Rübig © triptyque
Conclusion A keynote speech from Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Emilia Romagna Region in Italy, rounded out the presentations. He explored the role that ceramics play in his region, as a sustainable industry with social and economic relevance. The 16th EPCF Plenary was concluded by thanking MEP Rübig for his commitment as EPCF Chair since 2014 and welcoming the new EPCF Chair and first Chairwoman, MEP Rodríguez-Piñero. The 17th Plenary meeting will take place on Tuesday, 29 November 2016 in Brussels. For more details on speakers’ contributions to the 16th Plenary, read the event report. For more on the EPCF see p.21 or visit the website. EPCF 2015 © triptyque
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External Events High Level Group on Energy-Intensive Industries Further to a meeting chaired by Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska in May, the Commission hosted the first meeting of the High Level Expert Group (HLG) on Energy Intensive Industries in December. The HLG is now composed of 17 Member States representatives and 10 industry associations (Steel, ceramics, glass, cement, non-ferrous metals, paper & pulp, chemicals, fertilizers, refineries and lime). In addition, the HLG is attended by eight representatives from civil society (Environmental NGOs, trade unions and technology platforms). CU President Alain Delcourt expressed CU’s main priorities, including on the post-2020 EU ETS review, and detailed the ceramic industry’s views on trade policy, particularly on the Market Economy Status of China. Mr Delcourt also intervened in the discussions related to the circular economy package, stressing the need to take the entire life cycle into account. The HLG meeting was chaired by newly-appointed DG GROW Director General Lowri Evans. Cerame-Unie will contribute to a panel at the High Level Conference on Energy Intensive Industries on 15 February 2016.
European Masonry Alliance The European Masonry Alliance (EMA) met the European Commission in July to discuss its Manifesto. The Commission officials were from DG Growth, DG Environment, DG Energy and DG Employment. At EMA’s request, the Commission presented its current and future activities and potential solutions for issues impacting the European masonry industry. Regarding resource efficiency, discussions focused on the development of a framework of core indicators for the sustainability assessment of buildings. DG EMPL is pushing for a stronger focus on social and affordable housing and, to this end, is carrying out a study on the costefficiency of housing in Europe. DG ENER considered that about 1-2% of the European building stock is replaced annually and that there is a need to speed up renovation to improve energy efficiency of buildings. DG GROW highlighted the need for better coordination and regulation in the construction sector. The Commission is currently assessing the obstacles found with the implementation of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The Commission will submit a report on the implementation of the CPR to the European Parliament and Council in April 2016 (see p.10).
Meeting with DG Growth DG Growth hosted the annual Cerame-Unie—European Commission meeting in October. Ms Díaz Pulido (Head of Unit C2) chaired the meeting, which was attended by the CU secretariat as well as a delegation of ceramic industry representatives from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the UK. Although coordinated by DG GROW, the meeting also involved officials from DGs CLIMA and EMPL. The exchange started with an update on the performance of the ceramic industry in 2014/2015 and continued with detailed discussions on the post-2020 EU ETS review, chemical substances (REACH and Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive) and the Circular Economy Package. The Cerame-Unie delegation stressed the expected negative impact on EU jobs of a decision to grant Market Economy Status to China in December 2016. The industry also reported on the EU Water Label, a thriving voluntary scheme to measure the water consumption of bathroom products, making Ecodesign for sanitaryware redundant (see p.20).
European Seminar on Refractories
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The second European Seminar on Refractories, entitled REFRACTORIES - Key Technology and its Applications, was held at ECREF in Hoehr-Grenzhausen in September. Across three days 25 participants from 7 countries were introduced to the basics of refractory raw materials, products and system solutions, through numerous industry- and application-related examples. Fourteen experts from universities, research institutions and industry shared their knowledge on specific and varied requirements of modern refractory products and technology, looking closely at a range of factual applications from current practice. The organisers intend to further expand this event.
Sectoral Activities
SANITARYWARE
WALL & FLOOR TILES
REFRACTORIES
Global ceramic platforms Coinciding with the UNITECR 2015 congress on refractories, the World Refractories Association (WRA) held a General Assembly in Vienna, Austria on 14 September. Representatives from continental and national refractories associations and multi-national companies met to discuss global trends and future developments. Mr François Wanecq, CEO of Vesuvius and President of the WRA, welcomed members from ALAFAR (Latin America), PRE (Europe), ACRI (China), IRMA (India), JRA (Japan), TRI (USA) and from multinational companies (Vesuvius, RHI, Calderys, Magnesita, Refratechnik). Each association reported on key developments at regional level. On behalf of the WRA Secretary General, Mr Renaud Batier presented global statistics and the progress made regarding the revision of the refractory Harmonised System (HS) customs codes. The next WRA Board meeting is scheduled for 2016 and the General Assembly will take place in 2017.
The 22nd World Ceramic Tiles Forum (WCTF) was hosted by the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association (ASCER) in Seville from 11 to 14 November in conjunction with the ISO/TC189 meetings. With participation growing every year, this edition of the Forum was attended by representatives from 15 countries plus Cerame-Unie member CET, the European Ceramic Tiles Manufacturers’ Association. The Forum provided an opportunity to discuss global trends in the production and consumption of ceramic tiles. These have both seen steady growth over recent years, with a 4.5% increase in both global production and consumption from 2013 to 2014. The WCTF discussed the implementation of the new customs Harmonised System (HS) codes for ceramic tiles which will enter into force in 2017 (see p.14). Held in conjunction with ISO/TC189, the Forum looked closely at latest developments in international standardisation and national regulations relevant to ceramic tiles. The next meeting will be held during the week of 14 November 2016, ideally in conjunction with the ISO TC 189 meeting.
The Third International Ceramic Sanitaryware meeting was held on 30 September 2015 in Bologna CERSAIE. The meeting brought together 16 participants from Italy, the UK, Turkey, China, Brazil and the Ukraine, as well as FECS, the CU member representing the ceramic sanitaryware sector. The participants discussed national legislation, EU standardisation and sustainability, the EU Water Label and general information on the ceramic sanitaryware industry in different countries. The next meeting is expected to coincide with the 2016 CERSAIE fair in Bologna.
Cumulative Cost Impact Assessment The European Commission published a call in May for offers to carry out a Cumulative Cost Assessment (CCA) for the EU ceramic and glass industries. The study will aim to analyse cumulative regulatory costs of the most relevant EU legislation (and any national implementing rules) for the EU ceramic and glass manufacturers. The study is also expected to reflect differences in costs for EU industries compared to their counterparts in other economic regions such as the US, Russia or China. In November the Commission selected a consortium of consultants to perform the study: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Economisti Associati Srl and Ecorys Brussels. The consultants should start collecting data from EU ceramic producers in spring 2016 with the aim of completing the CCA study within 18 months. Similar studies were first performed in 2013 for the aluminium and steel industries and are currently being finalised for the chemical and paper sectors. The CU Board of Presidents had the opportunity to discuss the study with the Commission and the selected consultants during a dinner debate in November in the context of the Ceramic Days. The next step will be to define the scope of the study and establish the most appropriate structure for the industry under a “Mirror Group” in order to provide input throughout the implementation of the study.
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EU Water Label at ISH The European Federation of Ceramic Sanitaryware Manufacturers (FECS), a Cerame-Unie member, strongly supports the European Water Label (EWL), a voluntary and flexible scheme to measure the water consumption of bathroom products. FECS and the Water Label Company have worked together to establish the EU criteria for ceramic sanitaryware products, which are published on the EU Water Label website. The European Water Label increased its visibility with a stand at ISH Frankfurt, Europe’s largest bathroom and plumbing exhibition. During the fair, over 1,000 copies of the Water for Life magazine were distributed. The EWL and FECS also organised a press conference where a panel of speakers discussed the relevance of the EWL in front of over 50 participants. Thanks to FECS manufacturers, the EWL scheme is growing and product registrations have exceeded the goal of 10,000 by the end of 2015. Watch this video for more on the EWL.
TBE communications activities Electronic brochures on the advantages of pitched roofs and clay masonry products were prepared by TBE, the tiles and bricks sector represented by Cerame-Unie, for its members to distribute at national level and use in meetings with builders and architects. In late 2015 TBE relaunched its website. It is responsive and has a modern design that incorporates the stunning architecture visible in the pictures throughout both brochures.
CET
TBE
PRE
Sectoral Congresses
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From 27 to 29 May European refractory producers gathered in Istanbul for the 2015 PRE Congress. This 62nd annual Congress attracted around 80 participants from 12 countries and was kindly hosted by SEREF, the Turkish Ceramic and Refractories Manufacturers Association. The General Assembly also agreed on a new PRE President from 2016 to 2018, Mr José Maria Dominguez, who represents the Spanish refractory association ANFRE in the PRE Board. He will succeed Mr François Wanecq, CEO of Vesuvius plc, who held the position from 2013 to 2015. Tiles and bricks executives from across Europe met in Leuven, Belgium on 1 and 2 June for the 2015 TBE Congress. The Congress was hosted and organised by the Royal Dutch Association for Building Ceramics (KNB) and the Belgian Brick Association (BBF). Internal structural changes were approved at the General Assembly. Mirosław Jaroszewicz from the Polish Employers Union of Building Ceramics became TBE’s new Vice-President, replacing Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger AG. TBE also welcomed Magdalena Vallebona, its new Secretary General, who will be taking over the responsibilities of Adolfo Aiello. In addition to working group meetings and the General Assembly, members also attended a debate on construction.
CET, the European ceramic wall and floor tiles industry, held its annual Congress from 4 to 6 June in Prague. On this occasion, the General Assembly met to discuss the most recent statistics and trends as well as important regulatory developments. Regulatory developments can play a significant role in determining the industry’s competitiveness at international level. The Congress was hosted by the Lasselsberger Group and was concluded with a round table debate with Czech MEP Dita Charanzová.
European Parliament Ceramics Forum The European Parliament Ceramics Forum (EPCF) is a cross-party discussion group with the objective of facilitating dialogue between the European institutions and the ceramic industry on all relevant policy developments. Participants in this Forum are Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), decision makers from the ceramic industry and representatives from European trade unions. The European Commission actively supports the Forum and Commission officials regularly attend the meetings to provide updates on current and forthcoming issues. The EPCF has its roots in the 1994-1999 Parliament, when a Ceramics Intergroup was founded by Michael Tappin, former MEP from North Staffordshire, UK. More on the EPCF at www.epceramicsforum.eu.
EPCF Members VICE-CHAIR
Elisabetta Gardini Italy, EPP
VICE-CHAIR
Jean-Paul Denanot France, S&D
VICE-CHAIR
VICE-CHAIR
VICE-CHAIR
CHAIR Inma Rodríguez -Piñero Spain, S&D
Neena Gill UK, S&D
Esteban González Pons Spain, EPP
Anthea McIntyre UK, ECR
VICE-CHAIR
VICE-CHAIR
VICE-CHAIR Paul Rübig Austria, EPP
Sîon Simon UK, S&D
Antonio Tajani Italy, EPP
Amjad Bashir UK, ECR
Dan Dalton UK, ECR
Lidia Geringer de Oedenberg Poland, S&D
José Inácio Faria Portugal, ALDE
Barbara Kappel Austria, ENF
Jude KirtonDarling UK, S&D
Werner Langen Germany, EPP
Jo Leinen Germany, S&D
Emma McClarkin UK, ECR
Elisabeth Morin-Chartier France, EPP
Tokia Saïfi France, EPP
Annie Schreijer Netherlands, EPP
Franck Proust France, EPP
Nuno Melo Portugal, EPP
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Structure 2015 Board of Presidents
Committee of Directors
Environment Committee
Climate & energy—Working Group
Chemical agents—Working Group
Research—Working Group
Trade—Working Group
BREF—Task Force
General Assembly
CET
EEA
EuTeCer
FECS
FEPA
FEPF
Feugres
PRE
TBE
Presidents
Joerg Wendel President EEA Wendel GmbH
ABRASIVES
BRICKS & ROOF TILES
Kevin Oakes President FEPF Steelite Intl.
TABLE- & ORNAMENTALWARE
Richard Gaignon President EuTeCer 3DCeram
Jose Ma Dominguez President PRE ALFRAN
Alessandro Gallo President FEPA Siapi Srl TECHNICAL CERAMICS
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Alfonzo Panzani CU Vice-President Ceramiche Ricchetti SpA
Bernd Ebbers President Feugres Steinzeug-Keramo GmbH REFRACTORIES
Heimo Scheuch CU Vice-President Wienerberger AG
Miguel Angel Munar President FECS Roca Sanitario SA PORCELAIN ENAMEL
Jose Luis Lanuza President CET Keraben Grupo
CLAY PIPES
SANITARYWARE
WALL & FLOOR TILES
Alain Delcourt CU President Agrob Buchtal GmbH
Yiannis Maliouris President TBE B. Maliouris SA
Staff
Renaud Batier Director General CET Secretary General
Astrid Volckaert Director Environment & Technical Affairs PRE & EuTecer Sec. Gen. FEPA Coordinator
Stéphane Noël Environment & Technical Affairs Manager PRE & EuTeCer Coordinator (maternity cover)
Simona Vackeová Trade Policy Manager FEPF Coordinator
Nuno Pargana Construction & Sustainability Manager FECS & Feugres Coordinator
Magdalena Vallebona Climate & Energy Manager TBE Secretary General
Ani Deal Communications & Events Manager EEA Coordinator
Nicole Le Poupon Management Assistant
Flavia Russo Administrative Assistant
Camille Maury European Affairs Manager (from beg. 2016)
External network Active House Alliance AEGIS Europe—Industry alliance for free and
fair trade
CheMI—Platform for Downstream Users of
Chemicals in the Manufacturing Industry CPE—Construction Products Europe
AEII—Alliance of Energy-Intensive Industries
ECO Platform
Alliance on industrial emissions
ECTP—European Construction Technology
Alliance on origin marking Alliance on REACH—Registration, Evaluation,
Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances Alliance on Trade Defence Instruments
Platform EPCF—European Parliament Ceramics Forum FAIB—Federation of European and Interna-
tional Associations European Masonry Alliance
A.SPIRE—Association for Sustainable Process NEEIP—Non-Energy Extractive Industry Panel
Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency BUSINESSEUROPE CEN—European Committee for Standardiza-
NEPSI—European network for silica WCTF—World Ceramic Tiles Forum WRA—World Refractories Association
tion
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Membership Cerame-Unie members include national associations and companies from 30 European countries, including 26 EU member states. As an umbrella organisation, Cerame-Unie represents nine sectors of the ceramic industry (see p.22). The major producing countries in the EU are Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the UK, Portugal and Austria. Production in the new EU member states is strongest in the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, all of which have robust ceramic sectors and have traditionally exported to other EU countries. The EU ceramic industry is a world leader in producing value added, uniquely designed high quality ceramic products manufactured by flexible and innovative companies, mainly SMEs. The ceramics industry represents an annual production value of around â‚Ź28 billion, accounting for approximately 25% of the global production, and over 200,000 direct jobs throughout the EU.
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FULL
Membership benefits Up-to-date and efficient monitoring of European issues relevant for the ceramic industry. Access to statistical information on the specific sector and the ceramic industry as a whole. Involvement in all stages of the legislative process, from the development of the proposal to
the implementation at national level. Access to expertise in the fields of climate, energy, trade, environment and construction poli-
cies. Invitations to participate in expert meetings organised by Cerame-Unie or European institu-
ASSOCIATE
tions, the Cerame-Unie General Assembly and the European Parliament Ceramics Forum.
Access to up-to-date and efficient monitoring of European issues already covered by Cerame-
Unie. Access to statistical information on the ceramic industry as a whole. Invitations to participate in expert meetings organised by Cerame-Unie or European institu-
tions, the Cerame-Unie General Assembly and the European Parliament Ceramics Forum.
FULL
How to become a member According to Article 6.1 of the Cerame-Unie by-laws: “The following may be admitted as full members of the Association: professional Federations with a European dimension representing ceramic manufacturers, National Federations representing national ceramic manufacturers of EU member states, only if
no European Federation having the legal personality exists, private companies manufacturing ceramics with their head office in a EU Member State, only if
ASSOCIATE
no National Federation exists. May however become a member private companies having the legal personality and being a member of a European association of ceramic manufacturers lacking the legal personality.”
According to Article 7.1 of the Cerame-Unie by-laws, “The following may be admitted as associate members of the Association: National Federations that do not belong to a member state of the European Union representing
national ceramic industries of their country; in exceptional cases European Federations or, for lack of those National Federations or, for lack
of those private companies, whose business is linked to the ceramic industry.”
Companies interested in becoming a member of Cerame-Unie are warmly welcomed to contact the CerameUnie Secretariat indicating to which sector they belong.
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Cerame-Unie is the Brussels-based trade association that represents the European ceramic industry. We engage in a constructive dialogue with the EU institutions, international partners and social and environmental stakeholders on behalf of our members. Our members include national associations and companies from nine ceramic sectors and 30 European countries, including 26 EU Member States.
Cerame-Unie A.I.S.B.L. Rue de la Montagne 17, 1000 Brussels Tel. +32 2 808 38 80 Fax +32 2 511 51 74 sec@cerameunie.eu www.cerameunie.eu twitter.com/CerameUnie
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Published by Cerame-Unie No part of this brochure may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Cerame-Unie.