European Bioplastics (EUBP) has elected its new board to guide the association’s mandate for the next three years.
The body, which represents the interests of bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics in Europe, has announced Monica Battistella (Taghleef Industries), Judith Hicks (Vioneo), Franz Kraus (Novamont), Myriam Moeyersons (Ingevity), Afsaneh Nabifar (BASF), Celmira Sousa (NatureWorks), Frédéric Van Gansberghe (Futerro), Hugo Vuurens (CJ CheilJedang), and Irina Yarulina (Sulzer) as board members.
Franz Kraus and Frédéric Van Gansberghe have been elected co-chairs, while Afsaneh Nabifar will serve as vice-chair.
Hugo Vuurens has also been appointed as treasurer.
Uniting expertise
EUBP said the new board brought together the experience, diversity and industrial expertise EUBP needed for the next phase and that the appointments reflected the breadth of the European bioplastics value chain – uniting expertise in bio-based, biodegradable and compostable materials, packaging, conversion, recycling technologies, sustainability, public affairs, market development and industrial scale-up.
“With this board, EUBP has the breadth, credibility and strategic focus needed to translate its vision into concrete policy, market and member value,” said Lorenza Romanese, secretary general of EUBP.
She emphasised that the impact needed to support Europe’s transition towards a sustainable and circular bioeconomy could only be achieved through “continued cooperation and aligned advocacy efforts”.
EUBP said it would continue working with EU institutions, member states, industry partners, and stakeholders to support a coherent policy framework for bioplastics in Europe.
Harmonising EU legislation
Key priorities would include regulatory clarity, harmonised implementation of EU legislation, credible sustainability claims, recognition of biogenic carbon, appropriate end-of-life pathways and demand-creation measures for bioplastics applications, the association said.
“Our priority will be to strengthen the recognition of bioplastics as part of Europe’s bioeconomy, while building trust in credible solutions and supporting the conditions for scale,” said Kraus.
Van Gansberghe added: “This mandate is about turning ambition into delivery. EUBP will continue to work for a Europe where bioplastics make the bioeconomy tangible: replacing fossil carbon where they deliver value, enabling circularity and contributing to resilient European industrial value chains.”
