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If you enjoyed the excitement of rapidly adopted EU legislation and the political dynamics of the European Parliament elections, stay tuned! After a brief summer recess, EU politics will be back in full swing this autumn.
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The recent European Parliament elections yielded an expected yet unique outcome. As of this writing, the specifics of new majorities, the composition of the future European Commission, and the upcoming policy directions remain uncertain.
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For those interested in the certainties and uncertainties surrounding future EU policies affecting our sector, this newsletter offers a comprehensive analysis of the current EU institutional changes.
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In addition to the headline-grabbing events, other significant developments have occurred in recent weeks. Glass for Europe participated in numerous events to advocate for our sector’s policy recommendations to officials, who are currently preparing for future regulatory work. We have developed new position papers to highlight key topics and support provisions in the European Commission's proposal for a regulation on End-of-Life Vehicles. The recycling of both automotive and building glass has been a major focus of our recent activities.
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This autumn, Glass for Europe is gearing up for extensive outreach efforts towards European Commission officials and new Members of the European Parliament. As national considerations gain prominence in European politics, coordination with our national partners will be crucial in identifying and engaging with the most relevant and influential stakeholders. Preparing for this coordination and enhancing our efforts to function as an effective advocacy network across Europe will keep the Glass for Europe secretariat busy throughout the summer.
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Like everyone else, we will also take some time to rest. We wish you a pleasant summer and look forward to reconnecting in September, refreshed and motivated!
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Bertrand Cazes
Secretary General, Glass for Europe
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European Elections 2024
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The European election took place from 6 to 9 June in 27 EU Member States. A total of 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected for the 2024-2029 term.
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The balance of power within the European Parliament has not been shaken. The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) arrived first at the EU election. The group gained 13 additional MEPs when it had lost seats in the last three previous elections (2009, 2014, 2019). The Socialists & Democrats (S&D) remain the second largest group as they only lost 4 MEPs.
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Parties from the Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group performed very well in the election. The group has gained 14 new MEPs and discussions are still ongoing for potential new MEPs to join. The ECR group is therefore the third largest group of the European Parliament ahead of Renew Europe...
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Glass for Europe engages in strategic meetings to shape industry’s future
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This week, Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe and, for this year, of Glass Alliance Europe, led a series of pivotal meetings to address the future of the EU glass industry.
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On 19 June, the Executive Committee and General Assembly sessions of Glass Alliance Europe were dedicated to discussing key EU topics crucial for the industry’s future. These included decarbonisation, competitiveness, industrial policy, glass recycling, energy policy, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It was also the time to appoint Thomas Davreux, Managing Director of InDUfed, as the new President of the Alliance and Walter Da Riz, Director of...
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Glass for Europe attends the ECEEE summer study 2024
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Glass for Europe gained and shared insights with the Energy Efficiency community on the key priorities for the flat glass value chain and its contribution to EU renovation objectives.
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This ECEEE summer study 2024 is a chance to discover new research on energy efficiency in buildings and provide an environment for exchanges on EU policies such as the new Energy Performance of Building Directive...
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Glass for Europe attends the ICG Spring School 2024
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From 29 April to 3 May, Glass for Europe has attended the ICG – International Commission on Glass Spring School 2024 where industry and academia experts convened to discuss the pivotal role of glass and glazing in fostering sustainability.
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During the five-day event, the focus was...
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Glass for Europe visits company that specialises in designing bird-friendly solutions
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On 25 April, the Glass for Europe secretariat visited the offices of Orion Laser Tech, a company that develops machinery with a focus on lasering of glass, for instance to create bird-friendly markings to reduce fatalities and protect biodiversity.
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If the scale of the problem remains mostly...
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Glass for Europe releases its position paper on the dismantling of end-of-life automotive glass
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The latest trends and issues in automotive recycling were discussed this week at the International Automotive Recycling Congress 2024, with a focus on the work on the End-of-life of vehicles Regulation (ELVR).
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Today, to contribute to this broad discussion, Glass for Europe publishes a paper explaining how dismantling automotive glass an essential step is to enhance the recycling of end-of-life vehicles.
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The proposals from the European Commission (EC) on glass dismantling could increase the availability of high-quality automotive glass cullet and boost recycled content in glazing.
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To improve circularity and sustainability in glass manufacturing, Glass for Europe calls on policymakers to maintain the EC proposal on glass dismantling and recycling...
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Informative paper on bird-friendly glass solutions
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In its new informative paper, Glass for Europe introduces the issue of bird collisions with glass surfaces and the wide range of technologies developed by the flat glass industry to prevent them and preserve biodiversity.
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Bird fatalities from collisions with glass are a growing cause for concern. Experts in the field estimate that millions of birds die each year in Europe because of collisions with glass. The issue has gained in importance due to the increased pressure on bird ecosystems, the decline of numerous bird populations and the expansion of cities. In reaction, the most concerned regional or local authorities have set requirements to ensure that buildings can prevent such fatalities.
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The causes and correlations of when and why bird collisions occur are not fully understood. However, it is the transparency and reflectivity of glass which confuse birds which, like humans, orient themselves visually. Over the last decade, flat glass manufacturers proactively developed solutions to reduce collisions...
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