ManuFuture, the European technology platform on future manufacturing technologies, last week decided to set up a new industry-led R&D association - “European Factories of the Future Research Association” (EFFRA) - that will engage into a public private partnership in the area of R&D with the European Commission. The European Technology Platform involves key stakeholders across Europe, including engineering industry associations and their member companies. At last weeks` meeting, the ManuFuture High Level Group decided to set up the new R&D association.

Figure represents a further 3.5% reduction of steel for packaging’s CO2 emissions year on year.

This year’s European Paper Week will take as its theme ‘Building on paper’s values’. It will take place in the beautifully renovated Marivaux Hotel and Conference Centre in the heart of Europe - Brussels. The conference centre incorporates an old cinema complex and these elegant historical surroundings will host the CEPI Annual Dinner as well as seminars and many other industry sector meetings. From 17-19 November more than 300 participants will discuss and debate latest key issues and challenges.

Orgalime kindly requests the support of European regulators for the following key concerns on the Commission’s proposal of 3.12.2008 for amending Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE):

Financial experts from leading cooperative banks met in Brussels last week to discuss agricooperatives’
access to finance and risk assessment. They concluded that agribusiness in general and agri-cooperatives in particular are well-placed to weather the current financial crisis, due to their business model being based on credibility, stability and a low-risk approach.