Brussels, April 21st, 2021 - Refurbishment players fenix.eco, Foxway, Recommerce Group, Reware and Tech2com are launching Eurefas, a business association whose main mission is to advocate and promote the interests of a virtuous industry in Europe to build the sector and to share best practices. Eurefas aims to improve EU policies towards a fair and sustainable market and the building of a circular economy.

Headquartered in Brussels, Eurefas aims to accelerate the development of refurbished devices, by raising consumer awareness, enhancing collaboration between players, sharing market information, and addressing both the media and public administrations with a common voice.

Eurefas will formalize and promote the common interests, policies and positions of the refurbishment industry in Europe, making sure quality standards are met for European consumers, and that the sector increasingly contributes to making the world a greener place.

The association’s primary mission is to engage in dialogue with European institutions and governments, ensuring the industry and its positive impact are well understood and the difficulties that industry players encounter are reported, while progress is made on key industry issues such as: VAT fraud, copyright levies, European labeling and stating the place of refurbishment in the Green Deal.

“Our ambition is to represent refurbishment companies of all shapes and sizes, from every corner of Europe to build a circular economy and help the development of the industry. Our founding team is made up of seasoned entrepreneurs and leaders. Their core mission is to positively influence regulatory bodies and increase public awareness to accelerate the adoption of refurbished devices and a switch in our day-to-day consumption. Eurefas wants to inform about the positive impacts of refurbishing both for the planet and for consumers.” said Eurefas President Augustin Becquet.

The worldwide market for second-hand smartphone shipments is expected to surge from USD 27 billion in 2019 to USD 67 billion in 2023 according to IDC with 332.9 millions units shipped worldwide. In France and Germany, refurbished devices made up more than 10% of the smartphone market in 2019, with an annual growth rate of over 10%.

Grégoire Vigroux, Vice-President Communications at Eurefas, added: “We will frequently engage with the media, as we plan to promote the environmental benefits of refurbished phones over new ones. Through the Circular Economy Action Plan of the European Green Deal, the European Union is on the brink of an industrial renaissance. Eurefas intends to play a major role in this revolution.”