UCIMA (Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association) and the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association met with representatives of the European Commission and several Members of the European Parliament to jointly present the strategic priorities of the packaging industry. This collaboration brings together the two leading global countries in packaging technology manufacturing, united by a shared vision on competitiveness, sustainability, and trade policy.
The meeting was a key opportunity to highlight the crucial role of European companies in the ecological and digital transition, while emphasizing the need to ensure regulatory and market conditions that do not undermine their competitiveness, especially given the current uncertainty in international markets.
Key topics discussed included:
- International Trade Policy: The urgency of a thorough and timely discussion on U.S. tariffs was reiterated, as they could significantly harm European exports. The two associations called on the Commission to refrain from taking direct trade retaliation and instead focus on maintaining a clear stance that supports companies during this unstable period.
- Sustainability and Environmental Regulations: Attention was drawn to key regulations such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the Circular Economy regulation, both of which have a significant impact on the sector. While sharing the goals of sustainability, UCIMA and VDMA stressed the importance of ensuring technological neutrality, realistic transition periods, and harmonization among Member States, so that the new rules do not become a brake on development.
- Industrial Competitiveness: The value of instruments such as InvestEU, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the European Chips Act was reaffirmed, though the associations emphasized the need to make these initiatives truly accessible to SMEs. They called for targeted measures to support the adoption of advanced technologies like AI and blockchain, and to facilitate access to innovation-related funding.
“Dialogue with European institutions is more strategic today than ever,” stated UCIMA President Riccardo Cavanna. “Our sector is ready to contribute to the sustainable transition of industry, but we need a regulatory framework that fosters innovation, protects competitiveness, and reduces bureaucratic burdens. The technological neutrality of our solutions makes European know-how an excellence, and it is our duty to protect it so that this period of great uncertainty does not erode it.”
During the talks in Brussels, VDMA and UCIMA emphasised the importance of the industry. “With a 66 percent share of global trade, the European food processing and packaging machinery industry plays a crucial role in supplying the world’s population with food,” says Christian Traumann, Chairman of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association. “More than 250,000 people in Europe work in this industry, with the USA being the largest single sales market,” Traumann continues.
This joint initiative confirms the commitment of UCIMA and VDMA to work together in actively representing the sector’s interests at the European level, with the goal of contributing to the development of effective and forward-looking industrial policies.
