EU campaign to back “mostly-unknown” rubber industry

Belgium: A pan-European campaign has been launched to provide information on the general rubber goods (GRG) industry and the challenges it is facing, according to a 10-March release by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA).

"The GRG industry is fundamental and yet mostly unknown to the general public as well as to policy makers," said ETRMA head Fazilet Cinaralp introducing the initiative.

For this reason, she added, the industry saw the need of publishing information clarifying why "rubber is unique, strategic, not replaceable and an enabler for other industries".

The communication focuses on the four main challenges of the GRG industry: red tape; regulatory tasks; the need for a single market for rubber products in contact with food and drinking water as well as the need to bridge the skills gap.

The seven national associations partnering in this project represent thousands of SMEs as well as multinationals.

Together, they employ about 160,000 people across Europe with a turnover of about €30 Billion.