As policymakers and industry leaders meet to discuss the future of the EU bioeconomy, one truth is clear: Europe urgently needs a bold, united strategy that delivers both climate action and economic resilience. In today’s geopolitical uncertainty, a strong forest-based bioeconomy can drive climate progress, create quality jobs, and strengthen Europe’s resilience.
The pulp and paper sector is already contributing with sustainable and innovative solutions. But for Europe to achieve a clean industrial transition under pressure, it must rethink how it supports bio-based innovation, attracts investment, and secures the talent to deliver it.
Unlocking Europe’s Bioeconomy Advantage
Europe has the natural assets to lead the shift away from fossil-based materials. Sustainably managed forests protect biodiversity, build climate resilience, and provide a platform for innovation. But potential on paper is not enough. Policymakers need to act with urgency to scale up bio-based industries and bring sustainable alternatives to market.
At Sappi, responsible sourcing is at the core of how we operate. By the end of 2024, 88 percent of the woodfibre used in our European mills came from FSC or PEFC certified forests. This protects ecosystems, supports rural jobs, and drives investment in forest management. That is why we back the EU Deforestation Regulation and urge policymakers to fully recognise FSC and PEFC as trusted proof of sustainable practice.
Yet sourcing alone will not deliver Europe’s transition. Policy must connect circularity, industrial and material strategies. The upcoming Circular Economy Act is a chance to put bio-based materials on equal footing with virgin and recycled ones. Innovation also needs stronger backing. Scaling solutions like Sappi’s Valida, a fibrillated cellulose already replacing fossil-based inputs in cosmetics, agriculture, and construction, requires significant investment and regulatory approval. Without targeted incentives, too many breakthroughs will stall. Europe has the resources and the expertise. What it needs now is the policy framework to ensure these sustainable innovations see the light of day.
Clean Energy, the Make-or-Break Factor
The future of Europe’s industrial base hinges on the energy transition. For pulp and paper, where most processes are heat-driven, clean energy is decisive for decarbonisation. Our sector is already ahead, with more than 60 percent of primary energy coming from biomass. But further progress depends on reliable and affordable fossil-free fuels and electricity. Without them, Europe’s competitiveness and climate goals are both at risk.
Sappi is investing to show what is possible. At our Maastricht mill, a new e-boiler converts renewable electricity into steam, cutting 22,000 tons of scope 1 CO₂ emissions each year while helping stabilise the grid by absorbing surplus renewable energy during off-peak hours. A second e-boiler is already under construction. These projects prove how quickly industry can act when the right conditions are in place.
To scale such solutions, Europe needs frameworks that reward early movers and remove barriers. That means support for demand-side flexibility, faster access to renewable power grids, harmonised CO₂ pricing across borders, and funding models that make clean energy cost-competitive.
Winning the Talent Race
Europe’s bio-based industries can only attract and retain talent if there is strong market demand for sustainable materials. Today, that demand has weakened across the industry because policy does not yet make the business case clear enough. Without a competitive industrial base, Europe will struggle to create the skilled jobs needed for the green transition.
Sappi has invested in people, building leadership, developing skills, and preparing our workforce for the future. But if demand does not grow, opportunities for skilled jobs will remain limited, and Europe risks losing the talent it needs to lead in manufacturing and research. It is imperative that policymakers and industry work hand-in-hand to invest in the competitiveness of Europe’s emerging bioeconomy and foster the talent needed to safeguard its future.
Europe’s Defining Choice
Europe stands at a crossroads. It can embrace competitive sustainability, or it can fall behind in the global industrial transformation. The pulp and paper sector is ready to lead, and Sappi is already demonstrating what can be achieved, but industry alone cannot deliver the scale of change required.
To succeed, Europe must provide regulatory certainty so companies can invest. It must create clear markets for sustainable products with faster and simpler approval procedures. It must reward early movers through incentives and targeted public procurement. It must also back affordable clean energy with flexible funding, while investing in the specialist skills that will secure Europe’s industrial future.
Decisive policy action now will accelerate the transition, unlock greater energy efficiency, and keep Europe at the forefront of sustainable industrial innovation. The opportunity is within reach, and industry remains committed to ensuring that Europe seizes it.
Marco Eikelenboom is the CEO at Sappi Europe and Cepi chair.
