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2022 has been a dense year, for better and worse. A year marked by celebrations, innovation and progress in the flat glass industry, but also by an unexpected war in Europe. Our thoughts go primarily to those who are paying the highest price of this war, but we cannot ignore how impactful are its shock waves in Europe and how it is putting to a test the resilience of our sector.
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During her State of the European Union speech, European Commission President Von der Leyen stated that “targeted support is needed for sectors such as the glass industry”. For the very first time, the glass industry and its specific needs have been acknowledged at the highest political levels in Europe. Regrettably, measures to face off the energy crisis are not yet providing enough relief. As 2022 ends, everyone in the sector, from manufacturers to processors and transformers, is worried about the demand-destroying impacts of inflation and skyrocketing energy costs.
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In this context, the 2022 International Year of Glass declared by the United Nations was not full of joyful celebrations in Europe. Instead, Europe’s flat glass sector responded to this UN international year with progress in glass recycling, the testing of green fuels to power furnaces, innovations in manufacturing processes and products, etc. Accelerating the speed of transformation to deliver ever more sustainability is what the International Year of Glass was about and that’s what our industry delivered!
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The future is unknown by definition, but let’s hope the worse comes to an end and we can all concentrate on the better. Flat glass will keep on improving people’s lives and their environment and Glass for Europe will continue supporting the sector in its sustainability journey!
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Secretary General, Glass for Europe
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3 reflections on the energy crisis
from the flat glass industry
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For over a year, the European Union Europe has been coping with security of gas supply and unbearable high bills for both the consumers and the industry. Glass for Europe wants to share 3 reflections from the flat glass industry ahead of upcoming the extraordinary meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels.
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On November 24th, the Czech Presidency will try to reach an agreement on the European Commission’s latest proposals to mitigate rising energy prices. Glass for Europe believes that savings energy in the sectors with the highest potential such as buildings, boosting the production of green energy and ensuring the competitiveness of the European industry are the ways forward to overcome the crisis. Commenting on the upcoming Council meeting of Energy Ministers, Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass Alliance Europe, declared ‘Addressing hypothetical future gas price spikes, as proposed by the European Commission with its market correction mechanism, is one thing, but the emergency shall be to design measures to curb today’s excessive energy costs.’
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Saving energy in buildings
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“We need to stop wasting energy where we actually can save it” said Bertrand Cazes during an event held on November 16th in the framework of the International Year of Glass. If we do not invest in the energy renovation of buildings “we will never have enough energy” to guarantee supply to industries such as the glass industry, he continued.
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“The lack of predictability on gas prices over the long term is a fundamental problem to plan investments, including the decarbonisation ones” stated B. Cazes. As stated in a position paper recently release by Glass Alliance Europe, faced with risks of energy shortages and exponential energy costs, which are substantially higher than in the rest of the world, Europe’s glass industry is in dire need of support to stay afloat.
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Higher energy electricity costs are also impacting the sector. For this reason, Glass for Europe calls for the inclusion the flat glass industry in the list of sectors entitled to receive compensation for its indirect electricity costs under the EU ETS. “The electricity costs for the flat glass industry are skyrocketing, and yet we are not entitled to any support” he concluded.
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Ensuring the EU industry competitiveness
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High energy costs increase production costs and are the major driver of inflation. Therefore, flat glass products made in the EU become less and less competitive. “We start witnessing large influx of imports from outside Europe”, said Bertrand Cazes. “Over the short and medium-term, that could be endangering our industry and weakening the investment needed to fully contribute to the climate neutral future that we want” he concluded.
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Minimum Energy Performance Standards to boost building renovation
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Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) have the potential to generate a significant shift in building renovation. While aligned to the higher performance standards, they can be a driver of deep renovation, prevent works carried with minimal energy-efficiency considerations and ensure long-lasting CO2 and energy savings. Glass for Europe supports the introduction of MEPS in the recast of the Energy Performance …
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Glass for Europe's statement on the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)
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Glass for Europe believes that the new requirements proposed in the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and the recast of the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) should consider industrial realities and local conditions. “The on-going revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive is of utmost importance for the flat glass sector as it concerns our ability to …
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The UK will continue to recognise the CE marking until December 2024
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On November 14, the UK government announced that the UK will continue to recognise the CE marking for a further 2 years for certain products. Construction products do not seem covered yet by the extention and the government departments responsible for flat glass, among other products, are currently "making sector specific arrangements". Following the Brexit, the UK government announced that …
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Energy Intensive Industries call for urgent actions to limit energy prices
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Today, Glass Alliance Europe, and other associations representing European energy intensive industries, called on the European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen and Mr Jozef Síkela, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic as Chair of the Energy Council, to urgently introduce EU-wide measures aimed at limiting the price on natural gas. Flat glass production relies on natural …
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Measuring the application of circular approaches in the construction industry ecosystem
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On 12 October 2022, Glass for Europe took part in a workshop on measuring the application of circular approaches in the construction ecosystem. A study on this topic is currently being conducted by Deloitte on behalf of the European Commission, as an output of the 2020 action plan to promote circularity principles in construction. The European Commission has found a …
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Glass Makers and Stakeholders
Mark 2022 UN International Year of Glass
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Brussels, 18 November 2022: The United Nations designated 2022 as the International Year of Glass, the first time a man-made material was chosen for worldwide attention. On 16 November, Glass Alliance Europe marked the occasion with an event gathering policy makers and stakeholders at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union in Brussels. Glass is …
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2nd Annual meeting for National Associations
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Sustainability comes to the fore at Glasstech Asia with Glass for Europe’s input
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1st Glass for Europe workshop on Construction Products Regulation
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Glass for Europe's partnership with RE-Source platform
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Glass for Europe presents the EU climate policies at CEKAL conference
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Meeting the International Community of Glass Associations
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Glass for Europe at "VIDRIO Y SUSTENTABILIDAD" seminar
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