2017-2018 EuLA Activity Report

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Circular economy, sustainable development and decarbonisation of the economy are currently the key policy drivers at EU level. Lime is continuously challenged as all those policies dramatically affect it. From lime markets perspective, 2017 and Q1 of 2018 showed a slow recovery but markets still remain instable. The major dossier that kept us busy last year was the post 2020 EU ETS revision. Thus, it has been dealt as first priority by the Secretariat and considerable resources have been allocated to defend the lime industry position. The result fully justifies the effort and means. The final text as agreed at the end of last year represents a fair compromise for the lime industry. It preserves the basic important features of the directive, notably the carbon leakage list and at the same time establishes the basis for a more ”correct” allocation share i.e. dynamic allocation adaptations. The current phase of implementation needs to be followed carefully as it will set all detailed provisions for phase 4.

The update of the benchmark values will be the item of outmost importance at that stage. Once again, we wish to pay a tribute to the collective effort of the sector to reach such agreement. The efforts need to be concentrated now on the implementing measures to be finalised by 2019.

Another important achievement of the year lays in the field of Biocides authorisation. After more than ten years of efforts by the members and Secretariat, and also considerable financial investment on the elaboration of the dossiers, the lime dossier has been finalized and submitted and the active substance has been approved by the competent authority. The dossier has been successfully evaluated, approval has been granted and published in the Official Journal of the European Commission. This important step opened the door to the product authorization which has been submitted to French competent Authority, which will act as Authorizing Member State. The EuLA Secretariat coordinated a Union Authorisation for its members and the dossier has been submitted end of March 2018. Those steps will provide compliance to distinct selected lime applications as biocide products.

Acknowledging the paramount importance of safety at work, the new task force dedicated to safety aims at improving accident rates and targeting a no harm target by 2020.

In addition, the pathway to a decarbonised economy will not happen without innovation. Since last year, a considerable effort is made to assess the research and innovation efforts in the lime industry and also to place lime amongst the energy intensive industries that shape and participate to the European innovation initiatives through the different initiatives.

During last year, three Board members, notably Ludwig De Mot, President of the association since 2013, Bertrand Lugol (Director) since several years and André Jacquemart (Director), let their seat to Cedric de Vicq, Loic de Surville and Tim van den Bossche respectively. The Secretariat expresses its gratitude to Ludwig de Mot for his commitment and the other members for their support all those years.

All those achievements have only been made possible thanks to the continuous support of the members and the dedicated time of the industry experts. They constitute the strength and knowledge tank of the association.

We would also like to thank the Board, members and the EuLA/IMA-Europe Secretariat staff for their continuous support along the year.

The EuLA Secretariat will continue to highlight the crucial contribution of lime and its importance for the EU economy as a significant enabling material and an essential actor in the EU industrial value chain. It will continue working towards ensuring favourable legislative framework conditions for the lime industry to operate and develop in a sustainable manner.

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