Metsä Group

Wood-based value chains offer great potential for the EU circular economy. When sourced sustainably, renewable raw materials, e.g. wood, can be supplied to loops according to principles of circular economy, in a regenerative way. Renewable carbon notably present in wood products - can support the transition from a fossil economy to a circular bio-based economy.

Metsä Group welcomes the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act (IDAA).The forest-based industries offer scalable, renewable solutions that replace fossil-intensive products, store bio-based carbon, and support decarbonisation/climate goals. Their circular products and solutions are mainly sourced, manufactured and recycled in Europe, with European technology.

Metsä Group has serious concerns regarding the Commissions proposal to update the benchmark values and the recent decision to exclude installations based on the 95% threshold from the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for the period 2026-2030.

As part of the Finnish Forest Industries, Metsä Group supports the EUs climate neutrality and competitiveness goals and highlights the importance of scaling biomanufacturing to strengthen resilience and reduce strategic dependencies.

The transport system is critical to European businesses, including the forest industry, and global supply chains. At the same time, transport emissions represent around 25% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and these emissions have increased over recent years. The EU Commission is aiming at achieving a 90% reduction in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Metsä Group welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the European Commissions consultation on the Affordable Housing Act. In our response, we fully align ourselves with and support the position submitted by the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries, CEI-Bois. In addition, we wish to underline the urgency and scale of the current housing crisis in Europe.

Metsä Group welcomes the proposal for a Regulation on a monitoring framework for resilient European forests and the EUs overall objective of maintaining healthy and resilient biodiversity across Europe. Metsä Groups strategic objective is to enhance the vitality of forests and nature, as healthy and resilient ecosystems promote the competitiveness of the forest-based industry.

We welcome the development of forest monitoring and strategic planning. All measures to improve the quality of information collected on forests will benefit multiple use of forests and policy-making. Member States’ (MS) needs and use of forest information vary why it is important to select on the EU-level top-level indicators to meet cost-effectiveness requirements.