Maintaining sustainable paper production in Germany

This includes working with industry to find the right way forward on climate protection. Energy-intensive sectors such as the paper industry must continue to be able to produce in Germany.

"As a basic industry, the paper industry is part of the backbone of the German economy. With its use of wood as a renewable raw material and exemplary closed-loop recycling, it is a successful component of the bioeconomy," explained the president of the association DIE PAPIERINDUSTRIE, Winfried Schaur, against the background of the upcoming coalition negotiations. "Climate protection will only work together with the industry."

The companies of the pulp and paper industry stand for sustainable industrial value creation and, as employers of 47,000 employees, make a significant contribution to employment, prosperity and social security in Germany. They produce versatile, valuable and beneficial products that are of great importance to the economy, society and culture. They face tough international competition and depend on competitive energy prices.

An important element in maintaining competitiveness is the EEG's special equalization scheme, which partially exempts energy-intensive industries from the additional burdens imposed on business and consumers by the energy transition in Germany. The same applies to other special arrangements such as the peak compensation for energy and electricity tax as well as the benchmark allocation and electricity price compensation in European emissions trading. These special regulations must not be left up for grabs. These regulations, which are essential for survival, must also not be linked to demands for special investments.