Following the COVID induced postponement of the co-located events scheduled for both 2020 and 2021, Europump (the European Pump Association) is pleased to announce that it is again partnering with CEIR (the European Valve Association) and Pneurop (the European Compressed Air Association) to stage their respective Annual Meetings next year in Brussels. Running across three days, from 9th to 11th May 2022 at the Hotel NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon, the three organizations will also deliver a Joint EU Policy Conference.

Having successfully held a virtual ‘Get to know each other’ event in May of this year, by way of an interim measure, and to allow the opportunity for members of each association to become acquainted with the others, the stage has been set for this collaborative approach to be extended.

Indeed, the opportunity, and the need, for cooperation and collaboration was a constant theme running through the entire online meeting. Enjoying similar levels of longevity and heritage within the sectors served, the three organizations have shared many similar public policy interests over the years, and increasingly so around international standards and energy use reduction measures. Furthermore, having developed vast experience in their respective disciplines, by forging closer links and a more collaborative approach to certain activities, it was agreed they could better harvest that expertise for greater mutual benefit.

In updating its New Industrial Strategy proposed in 2020, the European Commission has further indicated that it relies on industry to deliver on the major challenges faced by our economies and societies in Europe: sustainability, digital transformation, and global competitiveness, as well as the need to overcome the crisis provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EU Recovery and Resilience Plan launched in Spring 2021 is largely building on the capability of European industry to design and produce the building blocks of the twin green and digital transition. At the same time, the EU is shaping a dense regulatory framework that does not always support the freedom and flexibility needed for companies to grow and compete globally.

For a long time, European technology industries, and in particular the pumps, valves, and compressors sectors, have considered the enhancement of their global competitiveness within the framework of societal and environmental challenges, notably by contributing to the preparation of energy efficiency and circular economy regulations. In parallel, digitalization has provided increased opportunities as well as new challenges, including regulatory debates on the sharing of industrial data, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. These developments, amidst fierce international competition where public authorities and the private sector are increasingly working closer together to design and deploy strategies that promote national value chains, require an overarching Europe-wide positioning.

In support of the new EU legislative cycle, Europump, CEIR, and Pneurop will gather in Brussels on 10th May to address all these aspects. The Joint Conference will consist of a policy panel debate between industry executives and EU officials and MEPs, and three technical parallel sessions addressing topics of relevance for the three industry sectors. Specifically, these sessions will cover the ‘Circular economy and Eco-design’, ‘Industry’s Digitalisation and Innovation’, and ‘The restriction of use of materials and substances of concern’.

The event is open to all members of the three organizations as well as those of their respective National Associations, and with an extensive program of talks, presentations, and social gatherings, it provides a unique opportunity for these three key sectors to come together and further develop their common goals and discuss them with EU officials. The shared delivery and output can only serve to benefit each of their memberships, and the sectors of industry they collectively address.

Further information on the Joint EU Policy Conference as well as the Europump Annual Meeting, can be found on the Europump website – www.europump.net . Registration is also opened at: https://destree.eventsair.com/2022-plenary-meeting-joint-conference/europump22