What Is CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries)?

CEPI is the Confederation of European Paper Industries, a trade federation that represents Europe's pulp and paper sector. Its website, cepi.org, is the organization's public information hub: it publishes industry news, policy positions, publications, and project updates on topics such as energy transition, the EU Green Deal, circular bioeconomy, and paper recycling. If you want to understand who speaks for the European paper industry on policy or where to find its published positions and monitoring reports, cepi.org is the primary source.

What CEPI is and who it represents

CEPI is a confederation, meaning it brings together national paper industry associations and, through them, companies across Europe's pulp and paper sector. Its role is representative and informational rather than regulatory: it advocates on behalf of the industry toward EU institutions and communicates the sector's positions and data publicly.

The website's own title identifies it as the "Confederation of European Paper Industries," which is the clearest confirmation of scope. The sector it covers spans pulp production, paper and board manufacturing, and the linked recycling chain.

What the website covers

The homepage is organized around news and publications. The topics visible in its current content give a practical picture of what CEPI communicates:

Two things follow from this. First, CEPI's output is heavily policy-oriented — letters, positions, and reports aimed at EU decision-making. Second, it publishes monitoring and project material, not just advocacy, so the site is also a place to find sector data and program updates.

How to use the site

The site is a reference resource, not a service portal. There is no indication in the available material of pricing, membership sign-up flows, or login-restricted content, so treat what you see as public-facing information.

Practical uses:

• Tracking policy positions. If you need to know where the European paper industry stands on energy costs, carbon leakage, or the Green Deal, the news and publications sections carry the official statements.
• Finding sector reports. The recycling monitoring report is an example of a recurring publication tied to a specific commitment (the 2021–2030 declaration). Look for annual editions under the same topic.
• Following projects. Items like FUPROJOB4PAPER show workforce and skills initiatives; these pages typically explain the project's purpose and partners.
• Citing the organization correctly. When referencing CEPI, use its full name, Confederation of European Paper Industries, and link to the specific publication rather than the homepage.

A concrete example

Suppose you are preparing a briefing on how EU energy policy affects paper manufacturers. You would go to cepi.org, open the news item on the Energy Intensive Industries letter ahead of the 15 October EU Council, and use it to identify the industry's stated concerns and the coalition it signs with. You would then check the publications section for the carbon leakage position to see the sector's proposed policy fix. Both are primary-source documents you can cite directly.

What to keep in mind

• It is an industry body. Positions published on cepi.org represent the sector's interests. Use them as evidence of industry views, not as neutral analysis.
• Content is EU-focused. The policy framing centers on European institutions and directives, which is appropriate if your question concerns Europe but not if you need global paper industry data.
• Dates matter. Policy letters and monitoring reports are tied to specific moments (a Council meeting, an annual reporting cycle). Check the publication date before relying on a position as current.

If your goal is simply to confirm what CEPI is, the answer is above. If your goal is to use its material, start from the news and publications sections and follow the topic that matches your question — energy and climate, competitiveness, skills, or recycling.