EUCETSA has been actively participating in workshops organised by the European Commission DG Enterprise and DG Environment. On the 15th October 2010, at the Sustainable Industry Forum, Lionel Platteuw gave a presentation which highlighted Eucetsa positions on financing, research and innovation. It was also an opportunity to promote our European Research Projects including Techneau, Aquafit4 Use, Testnet and AirTV.
The forum successfully brought together more than 50 representatives from industry, academia and civil society to examine how Europe can best exploit the potential of its environmental goods and services industries and help all manufacturing to become more resource efficient and competitive.
A sequel workshop on Resource Efficiency and Competitiveness was organised on 14 February 2011, attracting this time more than 100 attendees. The aim was to see how the Commission can work with industry to achieve the twin aims of increased competitive and increased resource efficiency.
The Resource Efficiency flagship is a key element of the EU2020 strategy for sustainable, smart and inclusive growth. Dr Moerman of the company Akwadok, affiliated to our Belgian member association TNAV gave an excellent presentation about Phosphate and a recovery technology to produce the “Struvite”substitute. Phosphate is an essential element needed for fertilizer, yet few people realise that it is a limited resource which directly impacts agriculture and therefore food security.
The Phosphate education helped underline that there are many opportunities in technological innovation in resource efficiency. The workshop reported conclusions of consultant’s ECORYS on Resource Efficiency, but unfortunately one of the key conclusions that ”the technological limits have been reached” (the sectors ranged from chemicals to cement – see Ecorys report ) is questionable and underestimate the potential gains that industry could be gaining from innovation and technology. This also creates a false impression that some of the industry sectors are complacent about resource efficiency.

More info on:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sustainable-business/sustainable-industry/sustainable-industry-forum/index_en.htm

Presentation EUCETSA 

Presentation Akwadok