The European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) has highlighted the importance of collaboration between wood-based industries and associated organisations to support its membership in compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
It was one of the key messages from the 72nd annual FEFPEB Congress – held in Vienna on October 23 and 24 2025 – for representatives from across Europe’s wooden pallet and packaging sector.
The event was opened by FEFPEB President Rob van Hoesel, alongside Dieter Lechner of the Association of Austrian Wood Industries (Fachverband der Holzindustrie Österreichs) and FEFPEB Secretary General Fons Ceelaert, and featured presentations and discussions about the implications of tightening sustainability compliance obligations facing the industry. This included developments in major legislation including European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and the EU Circular Economy Act.
Speakers at the two-day event included:
- DI Gerhard Pichler, Managing Director, PEFC Austria, who spoke about sustainable forest management in Austria and the country’s PEFC certification system.
- Andy Huvaere, Operations Manager, Valipac (Belgium), on the challenges and implications for the industry of EPR regulations.
- Professor Manfred Tacker, University of Applied Sciences Vienna, on the potential impact of the proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) for pallet and packaging producers.
- Claudiu-Nicolae Sonda, CEI-Bois, on current advocacy topics and the latest developments related to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
FEFPEB Secretary General Fons Ceelaert updated the meeting about the organisation’s recent work and priorities.
“Cooperation with other wood-based industries and related institutions is vital to FEFPEB’s work,” said Ceelaert. “Working closely together allows us to share our expertise and experience and set common goals to tackle the challenges of regulatory compliance. Our Vienna congress was the perfect example of these collaborative efforts.”
The meeting concluded with an announcement about the 73rd full FEFPEB Congress, to be held in Sweden in autumn 2026, presented by Edward Sandin of Swedish Wood; and was closed with remarks by President Rob van Hoesel.
An overview and presentations from the congress will be published on www.fefpeb.eu
