European Printing Industry Confederation
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| European Printing Industry Confederation | |
|---|---|
| Name | European Printing Industry Confederation |
| Type | Trade association |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
| Region served | Europe |
| Membership | National printing federations, regional associations, corporate members |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | (various) |
| Website | (see member associations) |
European Printing Industry Confederation
The European Printing Industry Confederation is a Brussels-based trade association representing national printing federations and corporate printing firms across Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and other European states. It acts as an umbrella body linking sectoral organizations such as the European Commission directorates, the European Parliament committees, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and international bodies including the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The Confederation interfaces with standards bodies like the International Organization for Standardization and with industrial alliances such as the European Aluminium Association and the Confederation of European Paper Industries.
History
The Confederation emerged during the 1990s amid post‑Cold War integration initiatives influenced by events like the Maastricht Treaty and the enlargement processes of European Union. Early ties were forged with national apex bodies such as the Federation of European Publishers, the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, and the British Printing Industries Federation. It developed alongside regulatory milestones including directives from the European Court of Justice and legislative activity in the Council of the European Union, responding to shifts in markets signalled by technology firms like Apple Inc., Adobe Systems, and equipment manufacturers such as Heidelberg Druckmaschinen AG and Komori Corporation. Over time the Confederation adapted to digital transformation driven by innovations from Xerox Corporation, Canon Inc., and Ricoh Company.
Organisation and Membership
The Confederation is governed by a board drawn from national associations including the Bundesverband Druck und Medien, the Syndicat Nationale de l'Imprimerie, the Associazione Italiana Editori and the Association of Dutch Printers. Its membership model mirrors structures found in bodies like the European Banking Federation and the Association of European Manufacturers of Sporting Goods, combining corporate members (printers, paper suppliers, ink manufacturers) with trade federations from countries such as Spain, Sweden, Poland, Greece, Portugal and Romania. Leadership roles have been occupied by figures who liaise with institutions including the European Central Bank and the European Investment Bank on industrial finance and with research partners like CERN and the Fraunhofer Society for technology transfer.
Roles and Activities
Key roles include representing industry positions before the European Commission Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, engaging with the European Chemicals Agency on substance regulation, and collaborating with the World Intellectual Property Organization on rights management. The Confederation carries out technical coordination with standard-setting entities such as the International Electrotechnical Commission and maintains working groups on topics linked to firms like HP Inc., Epson, and Seiko Epson Corporation. It runs initiatives parallel to campaigns by organizations like BusinessEurope and the European Trade Union Confederation on workforce skills and industrial policy.
Policy and Advocacy
Advocacy has targeted legislation including the Waste Framework Directive, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, and regulations emerging from the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The Confederation has submitted position papers in dialogues with the European Chemicals Agency and has engaged with the European Environment Agency on recycling streams involving partners such as the Confederation of Paper Industries and companies like Stora Enso. It has taken stances on intellectual property issues in coordination with the European Patent Office and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Industry Standards and Certification
The Confederation contributes to standards adoption such as ISO series developed by the International Organization for Standardization and collaborates with the European Committee for Standardization and the Printing Industries of America on certification frameworks. It endorses environmental certification schemes linked to the Forest Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and works with testing laboratories associated with the European Chemicals Agency for compliance verification. Technical committees align practices with manufacturers like KBA and paper producers such as UPM-Kymmene and Mondi Group.
Events and Publications
It organises conferences, workshops and trade missions that parallel international fairs like drupa, FESPA and PRINTING United Expo, and cooperates with research platforms such as the European Research Area and the Horizon Europe programme for innovation calls. The Confederation publishes position papers, market reports and technical guides distributed to stakeholders including members of the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and delegates of national ministries such as the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the French Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Economic Impact and Statistics
The Confederation compiles and disseminates sectoral statistics on employment, production and trade analogous to datasets from Eurostat and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Reports contextualise trends in the printing value chain involving paper, ink and printing machinery with macroeconomic indicators from the International Monetary Fund and trade flows reflected in databases maintained by the World Trade Organization. Analyses highlight contributions to manufacturing output in countries including Germany, France, Italy and Poland and monitor shifts driven by digital substitution from firms such as Amazon (company) and Google LLC.