EURACTIV PR

An easy way of publishing your relevant EU press releases.

The first meeting of the “Forum for EU Refining” organised by the Commission will take place on Friday 12 April 2013.

Date

11 Apr 2013

Sections

EU Priorities 2020
Innovation & Enterprise
Trade & Society

Brussels, 10 April 2013: The European Commission, under the leadership of DG Energy, will host on 12 April 2013 the first meeting of the “Forum for EU Refining”, including Member States, Industry and other key stakeholders. The Forum will assess,
monitor and make recommendations on the competitive situation of the European refining industry, looking in particular at the implications of EU legislation.

During the Conference on EU Refining of 26 November 2012, Commissioner Oettinger announced the proposal to establish this Forum for EU Refining, and the first meeting will take place on Friday 12 April 2013.
The participants will consist of a broad panel of stakeholders with representatives of Member States, Commission, Industry, experts such as the IEA, Trades Unions and other stakeholders. The focus will be on the status of the refining industry one year after the launch of this process by Commissioner Oettinger, and in particular on the Refining Fitness Check announced in the recent update of the Industrial Policy flagship initiative, “A Stronger European Industry for Growth and Economic Recovery” with DG Enterprise presenting the scope, timing and methodology of the check. Two particular regulations under implementation, the Fuel
Quality Directive, Article 7a, and the Refining BREF under the Industrial Emissions Directive, both of which carry a strong competitive risk to EU refining, will be discussed.
Chris Beddoes, EUROPIA Director General, commented “We are looking forward to this first meeting of the
Forum for EU Refining, and welcome Commissioner Oettinger’s drive to establish it. We also look forward to discussions with all attendees to address the challenges faced by EU refining. In additional to external competitive pressures, it will be important to examine in particular those created by the EU legislation.” Chris Beddoes added that “ it is now more than one year since the bankruptcy of Petroplus highlighted the competitive pressures faced by the industry in Europe, so we except that the Forum will now move beyond discussion to make concrete recommendations”.

EUROPIA, representing the European Petroleum Industry, is the single voice the European Refining & Marketing Industry, the downstream sector of Europe’s oil industry.
EUROPIA is a non-profit organisation and whose 43 members account for almost 100% of EU petroleum refining capacity and more than 75% of EU motor fuel retail sales.
EUROPIA aims at contributing pro-actively and constructively to the development of policies to safeguard the secure and sustainable manufacturing, supply and use of petroleum products by providing competent and expert advice to the EU Institutions,
Member State Governments and the wider community.

Contact : Alain Mathuren
Boulevard du Souverain 165 3rd Floor
1160 Brussels Belgium
t +32 2 566 91 19 f +32 2 566 91 11
alain.mathuren@europia.com
www.europia.com