FEVE congratulates the Commission on the extensive set of ambitious, yet achievable measures set out in the Clean Industrial Deal published February 26, 2025. These proposals are a step in the right direction to provide the enabling conditions for the industry’s competitiveness, such as lower energy prices, increased supply of renewable and low carbon energy and better access to grids.
But FEVE regrets that some sectors (automotive, steel and metals, chemicals) receive particular attention.
This matters because the container glass industry is a crucial pillar of Europe’s economy, supporting high-value sectors such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, perfumes and cosmetics. In 2023, glass-packaged products accounted for EUR 140 billion in EU exports — 5.7 percent of total EU exports —exceeding several key industries, including chemicals, aircraft, and mineral fuels (see Figure 2). The industry supports more than 45,000 European manufacturing firms — 98 percent of which are SMEs. When including all glass-packaged goods, container glass and the products it packs accounts for 0.8 percent of EU GDP — on par with the automotive industry in economic impact (Figure 1).
The container glass industry is already taking action to address decarbonisation through multiple paths, but requires policy certainty, investment and energy access to complete its transition to climate neutrality.
FEVE is concerned that support for operational expenditures is absent from the draft proposals for the State aid reform, as the high cost of electricity remains one of the main barriers for investing in electrification. The industry asks to:
- Secure sufficient availability of low-carbon energy carriers for container glass plants
- Ensure the affordability of low-carbon energy carriers for the container glass industry
- Promote development of necessary infrastructure for the transport and distribution of low-carbon energy carriers to container glass plants
- Take into account investment cycles for the container glass industry
- Call for increased support for capital and operational decarbonisation expenditure