Virtual General Assembly 2021

On account of Corona, this year’s TBE General Assembly (Tiles and Bricks Europe) was held as a virtual event, too, at the end of September 2021.

In 2020-2021, the European Commission was actively continuing their work, despite the difficult conditions and with most meetings taking place online. The TBE, together with Cerame-Unie, was there actively advocating for the key issues facing ceramic industry.

Amongst others, the topic of the ETS benchmarking is still one of the priorities of TBE. As you are aware, the European Commission proposed a deep cut of the ceramic benchmarks ahead of the ETS phase 4 implementation. The new values of the ETS benchmarks were confirmed and published by the European Commission at the beginning of 2021.

Just few months later the European Commission is proposing another update of the ETS phase 4 conditions within a broader package called “Fit for 55”. This legislative package, published in July 2021, has an aim to increase the EU-wide GHG reduction target to 55 % comparing to the current 40 % ambition (from 1990 levels). It is a part of the European Green Deal, a priority of the European Commission, and is supposed to enable the EU to move towards climate neutrality by 2050.

Stability and predictability

Tiles and Bricks industry will ask for more stability and predictability of the legislative framework and against another cut of the ETS benchmarks, proposed in “Fit for 55” package and which would mean, according to this EC proposal, a 50 % less free ETS allowances in the second part of the ETS phase 4 (already in 2026-2030), while these are necessary to mitigate against the carbon leakage risks.

Mirosław Jaroszewicz, TBE President: „I would like to thank all of the TBE Members, who take active part in the TBE BREF Task Force and who have contributed to the good outcome of the first meetings within the so called BREF Review.“ Due to the circumstances the Kick off Meeting for the ceramic BREF was postponed and finally took place at the beginning of 2021 in the digital format.

Jaroszewicz thanked all members for the ongoing regular involvement in the TBE work in the TBE Working, Product, and Ad-Hoc Groups. „I hope that TBE continues offering its members an effective forum for discussion and expertise exchange, even though the circumstances have been challenging this year with almost all meetings taking place online. Thank you for your active contribution during the last year in the TBE, stay healthy and safe“, the TBE President finished.