Industry Associations & NGOs

Assocarta

Ecosystem Private

Headquarters: Milan, IT
Segment: Industry Associations & NGOs
Stories held: 2
Last story: 12 Oct 2026

Assocarta is the Italian trade association representing industrial producers of paper, board and pulp, founded in 1888 and based in Milan with a delegation in Rome. It represents member companies before national and EU institutions on industry, trade and regulatory matters, including circular economy and bioeconomy issues affecting the cellulose and paper sector.

2026 2

2 stories · 2026

Raw materials & energy Regulatory & Legal 12 Oct 2026

Assocarta warns on energy costs and Asian import pressure on Italian paper mills

Assocarta, the Italian paper industry association, told the Miac 2026 trade fair in Lucca that electricity prices have risen 127% since February 2026, to about EUR 80/MWh, pushing the sector's gas bill to EUR 1.3bn, up 50.6% year on year. The association also flagged a 31% rise in Asian paper imports into Italy in the first half of 2026 and projects EU ETS costs of EUR 215m a year, over EUR 1bn over five years, 40% above the 2020-2025 period.

Why this mattersRising energy costs and Asian overcapacity threaten Italian mill utilisation and the paper-for-recycling loop that supplies roughly 70% of domestic mills' raw material.

Average electricity price up 127% since February 2026, from EUR 35 to about EUR 80 per MWh, Assocarta said
Sector gas bill reached EUR 1.3bn, up 50.6% versus 2025
Assocarta forecasts 2026 paper production down 30% versus 2022, with plant utilisation at 75% against a historical 90%
Asian paper imports into Italy rose more than 31% in the first half of 2026
Projected EU ETS cost for the sector is EUR 215m a year, over EUR 1bn over five years, 40% above 2020-2025 levels
Lucca's paper and machinery cluster comprises 324 companies, 11,000 employees and EUR 5.6bn revenue, including over EUR 1.8bn from exports

Assocarta GSE counterparty

Sources industriadellacarta.it IT

Raw materials & energy Regulatory & Legal 21 Sep 2026

Italian paper association demands overhaul of EU carbon market reserve

Assocarta, the Italian paper industry association, has urged the European Commission and the European Parliament's Environment Committee to radically reform the Market Stability Reserve (MSR), arguing it has inflated EU carbon prices by up to 300% relative to other regions. The call follows a draft resolution adopted by the Environment Committee on 10 September 2026 that raises the MSR's allowance threshold but keeps its allowance-removal mechanism, which Assocarta says fails to address industry competitiveness concerns.

Why this mattersHigher and more volatile EU carbon costs directly raise energy-intensive papermakers' input costs, feeding through to containerboard and packaging paper prices.

European Parliament's Environment Committee adopted a draft resolution on the Market Stability Reserve on 10 September 2026.
Assocarta says the MSR has raised European CO2 prices by as much as 300% versus other carbon-pricing regions.
The committee proposal raises the threshold for allowances held in the reserve but retains the allowance-removal mechanism.
Assocarta Director General Massimo Medugno called for the proposals to be rejected and for the MSR to be radically transformed.
The association warns of de-industrialisation risk as production could shift to countries without comparable CO2 obligations.

Assocarta

Sources papnews.com