The Spanish Association of Tile and Ceramic Flooring Manufacturers (Ascer) has this Friday celebrated the agreement reached in the European Union to increase free CO2 emission allowances for energy-intensive industries, including chemicals, paper mills and ceramics. The employers’ association has described this decision as “very positive” news for the future of the ceramic sector.
After the three-way meeting held yesterday between the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission, which concluded with a provisional agreement to review the benchmark parameters applicable to the free allocation of emission rights in the period 2026-2030, Ascer has indicated that its first assessment is “very positive”.
“Although we are awaiting access to the text of the agreement in order to analyze in detail its scope, the information published officially makes it possible to conclude that one of the main objectives has been achieved: that the particularities of the ceramic tile manufacturing sector be recognized and the need to establish a fairer treatment, which reflects the technical reality of our industry and its real possibilities for decarbonization,” the employers’ association has said.
According to Ascer, the EU-wide pact opens the possibility of setting specific benchmark parameters by sectors, “which represents a fundamental step forward to correct a situation that had been penalizing the ceramic industry and jeopardizing its competitiveness, despite the significant efforts and investments made over years to reduce its emissions”.
The business organization has emphasized that this outcome is the result of intense joint work in which institutions from different levels were involved — local, regional, national and European — representatives and political groups from various parties, trade unions and also its counterparts at Confindustria Ceramica and Cerame-Unie.
“Shared effort” and next steps
“A shared effort, based on technical arguments and on constant communication, which has made it possible to convey to European institutions the specificities of our production process and the need for climate regulation to take into account industrial reality,” Ascer said, highlighting the importance of the dialogue maintained with Brussels.
Ismael García Peris, president of Ascer, has wanted to highlight this institutional and sectoral support: "From Ascer we want to publicly thank the work and involvement of all those who have contributed to reaching this agreement. It is a very important step for the Spanish and European ceramic sector, although there is still work ahead to specify its implementation and ensure that this recognition translates into an allocation of emission rights that is truly tailored to the characteristics of our industry".
García Peris has insisted that there are still technical details of the final text to be known, but he has reiterated the positive impact of the deal: "In the absence of knowing the fine print of the agreement and specifying its implementation, we are dealing with very positive news for the future of the Spanish and European ceramic sector".