Raphaël Pleynet, EuCIA’s Managing Director, reports from Polyvia’s General Assembly.
EuCIA serves as the voice of the European composites industry. One of the best ways to illustrate this role is by attending the General Assemblies of our members, where we gain valuable insight into their roadmaps and learn how EuCIA can draw inspiration and influence from these events.
I would like to thank EuCIA member Polyvia – the French trade association for the plastics and composites industry – for their kind invitation to join their General Assembly.
Key data
- The French plastics and composites sector generates €83 billion in revenue and accounts for more than 200,000 direct jobs.
- The composites industry represents approximately 10% of this sector.
- Polyvia’s 1,400 members represent 85% of the French plastics and composites industry.
Highlights of the day
A panel discussion presented the various divisions of Polyvia, accompanied by a compelling presentation delivered by the President of its Composite division, Didier Müller, on the strategic impact of composite materials to strengthen European sovereignty in key markets such as mobility, aerospace, defence, energy, and construction. He also emphasised the crucial need to advance circularity in composite materials, promoting the EuCIA-led initiative, the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA).
Panel discussion highlighting Polyvia’s different divisions
Circularity is no longer an option. It is a strategic necessity for Europe’s competitiveness, sovereignty and sustainability. For plastics and composites, this means going beyond recycling by creating real demand for European secondary materials, strengthening European value chains, supporting innovation, and keeping industrial capabilities and R&D in Europe.
This is precisely the ambition behind ECCA, launched by EuCIA in partnership with JEC Group. By bringing together the entire composites value chain we aim to accelerate circularity, turning it into an industrial reality across Europe.
Throughout the day, speakers also made it clear that artificial intelligence is already a major game changer, and its impact will continue to grow in the months and years ahead. We must strengthen Europe’s own AI capabilities, retain control over this strategic technology and use it as a catalyst for innovation and competitiveness across European industries.
The event also provided an opportunity to listen to a panel discussion with MEP Pierre Jouvet, rapporteur of the Industrial Accelerator Act, Pierre Jean Leduc, President of Polyvia, and VP of MEDEF (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) in charge of Europe, Fabrice le Saché. All stressed the urgency of supporting Europe’s industry and the EU’s ‘Made in Europe’ initiative.
Additionally, a presentation of Polyvia’s white paper Plastics & Composites: Choosing Sovereignty offered a structured source of inspiration built around six main priorities.
Priority | Action |
1. Support European manufacturing | Give preferential market access to companies producing in Europe |
2. Ensure fair competition | Enforce European requirements on imported products |
3. Reduce external dependencies | Maintain production capacity to withstand geopolitical disruptions |
4. Scale up recycling | Expand both waste processing and the use of recycled materials |
5. Strengthen innovation | Maintain the industry’s technological capabilities and competitiveness |
6. Preserve skills | Secure specialised training in plastics and composites |
The central message is clear. Europe must preserve its manufacturing capacity while advancing circularity and innovation.
“We were delighted to welcome EuCIA to Polyvia’s General Assembly,” notes Didier Müller. “Strong communication and close collaboration between national associations and our European association are essential to bring our messages together, speak with a united voice and make a greater impact at European level.”
Broader context: La REF event
Polyvia is a pioneer in organising its General Assembly during La REF, a major annual event that brings together business leaders, institutional representatives, and employers’ organisations. This platform gathers policymakers and experts to debate major economic and societal challenges and exchange ideas on the future of France and Europe.
We had the honour of attending the keynote speech by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who outlined the following key points:
- Simpler rules and fair competition: Reduce administrative burdens by 25% for businesses and 35% for SMEs by 2029, while addressing unfair foreign competition.
- More investment: Channel European savings into businesses and strengthen funding for innovation and industrial expansion.
- A stronger Single Market: Remove internal barriers, simplify company creation, and support European production.
- Affordable, predictable energy: Accelerate electrification, renewables, nuclear power, and grid investment while supporting industrial decarbonisation.
- European AI capabilities: Invest in European infrastructure and encourage adoption to improve productivity, preserving our European independence regarding AI.
- Diversified trade: Open new markets and reduce dependence on individual suppliers or countries.
Keynote speech by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
Alignment with EuCIA’s vision
These objectives resonate strongly with EuCIA’s vision of unlocking the growth potential of composites to support Europe’s prosperity, sustainability, and industrial transformation.
As the unified voice and catalyst for sustainable growth of the European composites industry, EuCIA continues to advocate for policies that enable manufacturers to thrive. Moving forward, we will assess how the priorities outlined in Polyvia’s white paper align with ongoing legislative discussions, particularly regarding circular economy frameworks and industrial policy reforms.
