Dear readers!

The industry barometers and other charts depicting the economic situation in the various sectors of the printing and paper industry have been looking like bad teeth for some time now. They point up, down, left, right, forward, and backward. And they shimmer in a variety of colors. Creating truly reliable forecasts is almost impossible at the moment; the previously used, sometimes quite outdated, calculation models no longer seem suitable for the world we currently find ourselves in.

The same is true of weather forecasts, by the way. The extreme heat and drought of the past few weeks – particularly in Europe and the USA – has clearly demonstrated the catastrophe we are heading towards. The storm damage is almost impossible to quantify; supercells form within minutes; most recently, an entire forest was "simply blown away" by a storm.

This is also critical for the paper industry. Now, there are plans to make further changes to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which has still not entered into force; changes that only benefit the industry. A zero-risk category is back on the table, as are simplified documentation requirements. Fresh from the handbook: "Constructing Loopholes – Short and Sweet." Wherever they exist, they are known to be exploited. Lobbying of this kind sets a precedent that will further undermine consumer confidence in the industry's green efforts. We really can't afford this.

Have a great read & stay safe!

Your