The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN) is an industry and trade organization open to any company with an economic interest in packaging and packaged products. It presents the opinion of its members on issues related to packaging and the environment.
Successful packaging policies will be those which are environmentally, economically and scientifically sound, as well as socially and politically acceptable. Members of EUROPEN are identified as companies which support a united industry and trade organization, dedicated to satisfactorily resolving the environmental challenges facing the packaging chain in an active and co-operative manner without favouring any specific packaging material or system.
EUROPEN is recognised as “The Voice of Industry for Packaging and the Environment”, the only pan-European organization dedicated exclusively to this subject. Membership is open to all economic operators in the packaging chain:
- producers of every material used for packaging;
- packaging designers;
- manufacturers of packaging;
- packaging users, irrespective of product, sales and distribution method;
- companies engaged in the distributive and retail trade;
- national cross-sectorial industry groups with similar objectives.
Membership of EUROPEN provides companies with:
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a cost-effective means of securing timely information about developments in environmental policy affecting packaging and packaged products with financial and practical impacts;
- early warning of all packaging and environment developments;
- detailed status reports on packaging laws and regulations;
- essential information for corporate strategic planning;
- participation in members' forums covering topical issues;
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an opportunity to support EUROPEN's activity to promote a balanced view of the use, benefits and environmental aspects of all types of packaging;
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a continuous and authoritative pan-European perspective on current developments and industry responses to packaging and environment issues;
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participation in setting the agenda for industry initiatives, positions and responses which help shape policy and legislation involving the European institutions and national governments and lobbying to support these positions;
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tangible support to the campaign to promote a better understanding of the role of packaging in society; and
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access to cross-sectoral networking with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders in securing the free movement of packaging and packaged products in Europe and beyond.
EUROPEN is controlled by the Council of Members which elects an Executive Committee which in turn appoints a managing director. Working groups, drawn both from members and outside resources as necessary, are established to deal with specific subjects.
The Council, where all members are represented, meets three times per year and adopts an annual activity plan. The Executive Committee and work groups meet as often as required. EUROPEN finances its activity from membership fees set annually by the Council of Members for the following year`s budget.
EUROPEN is a non-profit association registered in Belgium with headquarters in Brussels. EUROPEN`s statutes specifically prohibit it from engaging in any activity which would render it or any of its members in breach of any competition laws in force in the European Union or under any national laws of any of the members. A copy of the statutes is available on request.
Want to know more? See EUROPEN's Vision of Packaging's Contribution to Sustainable Development, as well as our Mission and Strategy.
If you want to talk to us about membership of EUROPEN, please contact Julian Carroll.
