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December 2023
In 2023, CEPI Cartonboard and Pro Carton announced the strengthening of their alliance. The main objective behind this was to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and voice of representation.
At Pro Carton we established 2 new specific Workstreams; Marketing & PR and Public Affairs. The working streams combine the knowledge and competence of the respective member organisations and strengthen member engagement throughout the year on the most important tasks.
The strengthened alliance has made significant progress this year towards supporting the ambitions of the EU Green Deal. We strongly believe that cartonboard is the leading packaging material and we are committed to helping the industry on its path to circularity.
There has recently been an important step in the right direction regarding the European Parliament voting on the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). We believe that the circular economy model should be based on recycling rather than reuse and are pleased that our rationale has been translated into the vote of the Parliament. Key collaboration across different associations and country representation was instrumental in achieving this positive result.
Looking ahead to 2024, the Association will continue to strongly support our industry’s position about PPWR and we look forward to a positive conclusion to the agreement – which is scheduled for the end of Q1 2024. We must continue to communicate clearly that cartonboard and cartons are the natural choice of packaging – now and in the future. Consumers prefer fibre-based packaging solutions because they trust a circular system, and because they can shop eco-consciously. Our industry is advancing with innovative solutions that will replace unsustainable packaging with renewable, recyclable, and truly circular solutions.
We shall continue to encourage companies to make safe and environmentally friendly packaging solutions, in ever-new applications. Exploring cross-industry collaboration to reach the best results for European consumers is also a priority. By aligning forces between cartonboard producers, converters, brand owners, and retailers we can manage the supply of packaging material to critical industries like food and pharma producers.
Finally, we will continue to foster relationships with other industry organisations to further advance our goals. This collaboration is key for us to be able to continue delivering the most critical progress for our industry.
Michele Bianchi, President, Pro Carton
The holiday season brings thoughts of joy and gratitude, and there’s no better time for Pro Carton to express our thanks and sincere appreciation for the support, creativity and dedication of our Members. We wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas and look forward to a new year full of wins and successes big and small.
