The EU's 27 member states exported much more recovered paper to countries outside the Union last year. According to Eurostat, shipments to third countries were 42 per cent higher than in 2022 at 7.0 million tonnes, reaching the highest level in six years. The European paper industry’s extremely lacklustre demand for recovered paper, as documented in EUWID’s monthly market reports, was likely the reason for this spike. Preliminary figures from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) indicate that paper production fell by 13 per cent in the 19 European countries belonging to the confederation last year. Recovered paper consumption decreased by an average of 7 per cent and dropped by as much as 9 per cent in Germany. Imports to Germany were off sharply.
Far East exports proved an essential outlet for surplus recovered paper generated in Europe in 2023. India is still the primary destination for recovered paper leaving the EU. According to the Eurostat data, EU-27 exports to India jumped by more than half to 2.3 million tonnes last year. As in 2022, Indonesia ranked second on the list of leading buyers.
The full report report on last year's trends in European foreign trade in recovered paper can be found here . . ....
