Glass Alliance Europe, the European alliance of glass industries, of which ASSOVETRO is a member, once again raises its voice, renewing thecall for urgent and crucial action at the continental and national levels, aimed at supporting the sector and tackling the complex energy landscape of the Union.
Glass Alliance Europe has outlined an action plan structured in 8 points
- The authorities should ensure that the criterion of irreversible damage to industrial installations is duly applied in national emergency plans for prioritize the supply of energy to continuous production processes, such as the glass industry, thus avoiding the loss of industrial assets.
- Urgently plan and introduce decisive measures to contain energy costs of both natural gas that of electricity for the energy-intensive glass industry.
In this regard, it is necessary to consider the validity of the various mechanisms (price cap, price corridor, price brake or other) to ensure sufficient supplies of gas, to lower costs and guarantee the requirement over several years and to restore the capacity and competitiveness of the European glass industry. - Providing immediate relief to companies in the entire sectorseriously damaged by the current crisis. Glass Alliance Europe welcomes the relaxation of qualifying criteria, such as the revised one on EBITDA evolution, and the increase of the ceiling on financial support, although these refreshments remain, for most energy-intensive sectors, still too low.
- Facilitate the switch to fuel, allowing more flexibility in the local implementation of the IED directive on industrial emissions for the purpose of changing operating permits. In this context, Glass Alliance Europe refers to the reintroduction of heavy fuel oil for glass melting and the reduction of biogas authorization times, in an attempt to reduce Europe's dependence on natural gas and to diversify energy sources.
- Support greater electrification of the glass industryby revising the guidelines for some aid for offsetting indirect emissions under the EU ETS.
- Offer the European glass industry immediate relief on taxes and surcharges for electricity and gas. Glass Alliance Europe also aims to preserve the exemption for mineralogical processes under the Energy Tax Directive.
- Quickly launch the reform aimed at decoupling electricity from gas prices and another aimed at redesigning the energy market, involving glass industry experts in the reorganisation.
- Continue trade defense measures on subsidized and dumped imports and consider swiftly introducing additional measures in case of new flows. If not addressed, such flows risk posing a threat to European production.
Looking for concrete actions
As pointed out by Glass Alliance Europe, the stakes are too high for institutions to refuse to contribute to the short- and long-term safety and competitiveness of the supply chain. Indeed, the European glass industry is a highly innovative and strategic sector for the EU, on which various crucial sectors depend (energy, construction, transport, food & drink, medical; just to mention the main ones), also according to the transition to climate neutrality.
The time for planning and reassurance has now come to an end, Glass Alliance Europe and the entire glass supply chain are now demanding concrete actions that can improve the fortunes of the sector and give due credit to an excellence of the Old Continent's secondary glass.
Source: glassallianceeurope.eu, glass-international.com
