FEVE urges EU leaders to act
Michel Giannuzzi, president of FEVE and chairman of Verallia.
The European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) has called on EU policymakers to take urgent action to safeguard Europe’s industrial base, warning that the continent’s glass manufacturing capacity is at risk without swift intervention on energy, carbon and competitiveness pressures.
Speaking at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, FEVE president Michel Giannuzzi, who is also Chairman of Verallia, backed the Antwerp Call to Action and urged leaders to close the widening gap between political ambition and industrial reality.
The federation represents more than 140 container glass plants across 21 EU Member States, supplying essential packaging for food and beverages. Glass‑packed products contribute an estimated €140 billion to EU exports each year, making the sector a strategic pillar of Europe’s manufacturing strength.
FEVE warned that persistently high energy prices, rising carbon costs and tougher global trading conditions are eroding investment conditions. Production has fallen sharply since its 2022 peak, and furnace closures across Europe are resulting in permanent losses of capacity, skills and jobs.
The federation highlighted that upcoming changes to EU Emissions Trading System benchmarks could, for some companies, double CO₂‑related costs between 2025 and 2026, threatening decarbonisation plans and long‑term competitiveness.
Giannuzzi said the sector remains committed to Europe’s climate and circularity goals but cannot deliver the transition alone. He urged EU leaders to act immediately to reduce energy and carbon costs, accelerate grid deployment and simplify regulatory processes. “There is no resilient, nor safe, nor strong Europe without a strong European industry,” he said. “This is not for next year, not for next week, but for today.”
FEVE is calling for a package of emergency industrial measures focused on four areas: lowering energy and carbon costs; ensuring circular economy policies support competitiveness; strengthening protections against unfair global competition; and stimulating demand for safe, circular products made in Europe.
The federation said that with the right policy framework, Europe’s container glass industry can remain a global leader in circular packaging and continue to underpin the region’s industrial resilience.
