The European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) is preparing to strengthen its advocacy efforts as the European wood packaging industry faces an increasingly complex landscape of environmental regulations, circular economy policies and geopolitical uncertainty.
The federation announced it is developing a long-term strategy to help member organizations respond more effectively to evolving legislative requirements while reinforcing FEFPEB’s position as the leading voice for Europe’s wooden pallet and packaging sector. The initiative emerged from discussions held during FEFPEB’s spring meeting in Porto, Portugal, where industry leaders examined how the organization should evolve to meet the challenges facing the sector over the coming decade.
Building on Eight Decades of Industry Representation
Speaking at the meeting, FEFPEB Secretary General Fons Ceelaert emphasized the federation’s long history of representing Europe’s wooden packaging manufacturers.
“Since FEFPEB was founded in 1946, it has played a vital role in representing wooden pallet and packaging manufacturers across Europe,” he said. “Through FEFPEB’s committees and working groups, it has worked to ensure policymakers understand our business when forming legislation; to coordinate our industry’s response to developments in international trade; and to communicate the all-round environmental and economic benefits of wooden pallets and packaging.”
Today, those responsibilities continue to expand. European manufacturers are navigating a growing list of regulatory initiatives, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), sustainability reporting requirements and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). FEFPEB said it is consulting with its national member organizations to develop a strategy that will help the federation respond more effectively to these obligations while continuing to represent the industry’s interests before policymakers. Detailed proposals are expected to be developed throughout 2026.
Ceelaert said adapting the federation to today’s policy environment will be essential. “As the regulatory and political landscape becomes increasingly complex, it is essential that FEFPEB builds on the past eighty years of work to remain a strong, united European organisation, and evolves to best represent our members’ businesses into the future,” he commented.
Broad Industry Perspective
The Porto meeting featured presentations examining several of the issues shaping the future of the wood packaging industry.
Nikhil Varghese of DGA Group provided an update on FEFPEB’s advocacy efforts surrounding the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), while Brent McClendon, CEO and President of Woodpack Global, discussed the organization’s international objectives following its recent rebranding from the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA). Additional presentations explored European economic trends, sustainability and updates on the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), along with a review of FEFPEB’s communications activities.
Congress to Focus on Resilience
Delegates also received a preview of the 73rd FEFPEB Congress, which will be held Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, 2026, in Båstad, Sweden.
Hosted under the theme “Wood Packaging in a Resilient Europe,” the biennial congress will examine how Europe’s wood packaging industry can respond to political, economic and market challenges while strengthening supply chain resilience.
Sweden provides a fitting backdrop for the discussion. Forests cover roughly 70% of the country’s land area, making Sweden Europe’s largest exporter of sawn timber. A significant share of that production ultimately supplies the European wood packaging industry.
Conference organizers say the program will explore how Europe’s renewable forest resources can contribute to long-term resilience, how the industry should respond to today’s geopolitical landscape and the evolving role of wood packaging within European supply chains. The congress will feature company visits, networking opportunities and presentations on market developments, sustainability, circular economy policy and geopolitical trends affecting the sector.
Confirmed speakers include Viveka Beckeman, CEO of Swedish Forest Industries; Christian Nielsen of Swedish Wood and the Swedish Forest Industries Federation; Nikhil Varghese of DGA Group; and geopolitical analyst Björn Fägersten.
About FEFPEB
Founded in 1946, FEFPEB represents national associations involved in wooden pallets, industrial packaging and lightweight wood packaging across Europe. Its membership also includes suppliers, equipment manufacturers and several of Europe’s largest pallet pooling organizations, including EPAL, CHEP, LPR, IPP Logipal and PRS, making it one of the industry’s principal advocacy organizations in Europe.
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
