The decision in the EU Environment Council in favor of a second emissions trading scheme is an important step toward comprehensive European greenhouse gas pricing. However, major uncertainties remain with regard to future drive technologies for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
The G7 summit showed that the Western industrialized nations want to act together on crucial issues. It is good that the G7 is pushing ahead with the establishment of an international climate club and wants to offer an alternative to the Chinese New Silk Road.
Energy security is crucial for the entire EU, especially industry. The decision by EU member states to fill their gas storage facilities before winter and to share storage facilities is a sign that the EU is determined to prevent a worst-case scenario.
This survey surveys the status of implementation of ESG issues in companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector and maps what role they play in business relationships and what trends as well as further impacts are expected by the companies.
Germany and Europe want to become climate-neutral by the middle of the century. To achieve this, two challenges must be met: transforming the energy system while ensuring security of supply.
The alarm level of the Gas Emergency Plan indicates the real danger of an undersupply. The actual supply situation must now be clarified quickly. The mechanical and plant engineering sector supports fair burden sharing that does not overburden individual gas consumer groups.
In its second attempt, the European Parliament has found a position on the CO2 border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). CBAM is a major field trial that potentially disadvantages the mechanical and plant engineering sector.
In its latest report, the BMWK's Scientific Advisory Board shares the concerns of the business community and recommends that preventive risk management be dispensed with and that positive and negative lists be introduced.
The amended Packaging Act already came into force last year, and now it is a matter of fulfilling new obligations - especially in the area of B2B packaging. VDMA member companies that generally place non-system-participating packaging on the market must now ALL become active by July 1, 2022: They must register in the LUCID packaging register!
The postponement of the CBAM vote in the EU Parliament offers the opportunity to further develop the highly sensitive CO2 border adjustment in a second attempt. Exports of machinery and equipment, for example, must not be placed at a competitive disadvantage. These technologies are urgently needed worldwide to achieve the Paris climate targets.
Der Innovationspreis für Klima und Umwelt 2022 wurde dieses Jahr unter anderem an drei Partner der VDMA-Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative Blue Competence verliehen. Einer dieser drei ist die Grundfos GmbH aus Erkrath. Den Preis erhielt das Unternehmen in der Kategorie „Prozessinnovationen für den Klimaschutz“.
The first edition of the Carbon Busters award is all about good ideas for tracking down and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in companies. The main prize went to the team from ARBURG GmbH Co KG in Lossburg, congratulations.
Under the motto "next generation reduces emissions in mechanical and plant engineering", the VDMA selected the winners of the first-ever VDMA Awards Carbon Busters at the Hannover Messe on May 30, 2022.
Der Innovationspreis für Klima und Umwelt 2022 wurde dieses Jahr unter anderem gleich an drei Partner der VDMA-Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative Blue Competence verliehen. Einer dieser drei ist die SCHUNK GmbH & Co. KG aus Lauffen. Den Preis erhielt das Unternehmen in der Kategorie „Umweltfreundliche Produkte und Dienstleistungen“.
Der Innovationspreis für Klima und Umwelt 2022 wurde dieses Jahr unter anderem an drei Partner der VDMA-Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative Blue Competence verliehen. Einer dieser drei ist die Kurtz GmbH & Co. KG aus Kreuzwertheim. Den Preis erhielt das Unternehmen in der Kategorie „Umweltfreundliche Technologien“.
The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) is awarding the German Innovation Prize for Climate and Environment (IKU) for the first time. The award honors outstanding innovations from ten German companies and research institutions with a total of 175,000 euros in prize money.
On May 18, the finalized EU energy supply plan "RePowerEU" was published. The plan paints the way forward for a secure and green energy supply for the EU, without dependence on Russian gas supplies. The mechanical and plant engineering sector is affected as a technology supplier, but the plan's industrial strategy is somewhat lacking.
German innovation cluster accelerates industrialisation of fuel cell production.
The EU must make Europe independent of Russian energy sources. In doing so, the focus is primarily on reducing energy consumption. A wide range of solutions from the machinery and plant engineering sector are available here.
Update 6/24/2022: On April 21, 2021, the EU Commission published a proposal for the revision of the so-called CSR Directive (Non Financial Reporting Directive - NFRD), which has been in force in Germany since 2017 and would significantly expand the scope of application.
Human rights are non-negotiable. However, the requirements of the EU-Commission in its Directive on sustainability due diligence can hardly be implemented by SMEs.
Attention all those interested in Europe! With our new web seminar series "EU Bubble talks - 30 minutes insights from Brussels" we take a look behind the scenes of European politics and take you with us.
Degradation/Lifetime of PEM Fuel Cells "From Cell Test to System Test "on June 23 and 24, 2022 at VDMA House in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Companies can apply now.
As you know from the coverage of Russia's war against Ukraine, there is still a possibility that European gas supplies from Russia will be terminated by one side or the other.
Against the backdrop of the energy crisis surrounding the Ukraine conflict, numerous stakeholders have been investigating how European and German natural gas imports could be swiftly reduced.
With the so-called "Easter Package", the Federal Cabinet today adopted a comprehensive legislative package to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies.
The regulatory tsunami in the area of product policy has begun: With the publication of the first comprehensive package on sustainable product policy, the EU Commission has set another milestone under the Green Deal and the Circular Economy Package.
Startup innovations for the construction equipment industry: in October 2022, there will be innovative startups to discover at bauma that are shaping the future of the industry with fresh innovations.
The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and soon the corresponding EU regulation will directly oblige some member companies to implement a due diligence process in their supply chain.
Germany and the EU are particularly dependent on Russian energy supplies. If supplies are interrupted, the best possible precautions must be taken. Activating the early warning stage of the Gas Emergency Plan is therefore an important and correct signal.
On March 30, 2022, the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection activated the first stage of the three-stage gas emergency plan, the early warning stage.
In the future, the EU wants to allow only sustainable, safe and circular products on the internal market. Product-specific requirements, coupled with a Digital Product Passport, can create space for new business models in the sense of the circular economy. However, it is crucial that the EU does not aim for a 'one-size-fits-all solution' here.
As in the 2020 analysis, the Power Systems trade association has examined, compared and analyzed the major energy system outlooks from IEA and DNV from a power systems perspective.
Against the background of current developments in the Ukraine war, the International Energy Agency makes ten proposals on how the European Union can make itself less dependent on Russian gas.
Europe must achieve greater energy independence from Russia. VDMA supports the EU's plans as well as the German government's package that will bring investments in security of supply and climate protection.
The climate path studies by BDI, Agora and dena take a comprehensive look at the future of the German energy system - here the Power Systems and Power-to-X for Applications study comparison.
Hartmut Rauen, Deputy Managing Director of the VDMA, comments on the early abolition of the EEG surcharge on the electricity price by the German government.
The proposal for an EU supply chain law goes far too far and will not be implementable by many companies - especially if it would also include customers. The law must be limited to those activities that a company can control.
VDMA is arguing for European due diligence rules that can be implemented by the internationally operating SMEs in the mechanical and plant engineering sector, too. Why is the situation for mechanical engineering companies special and what could manageable due diligence requirements for supply chains look like?
The VDMA has been intensively involved in the planned "Industry Dialogue on Business and Human Rights" with politicians and NGOs from the very beginning. However, the objectives of the sector dialogue were expanded in the course of the dialogue to such an extent that they are no longer manageable for medium-sized industrial companies. For this reason, the VDMA left the Industry Dialogue at the end of last year.
Germany and Europe want to become climate neutral by the middle of the millennium. More and more companies have also set themselves ambitious goals and are ready to convert production and services. The technologies needed to achieve this are being developed and provided by the mechanical and plant engineering sector.
At the upcoming Info Day on March 10, 2022 (9:00 am to 1:00 pm), we want to inform you about news in the field of substance regulations.
Ever since lead metal was listed as a candidate substance under the REACH Regulation in 2018, it was clear that there would be proposals for follow-up regulation of the substance.
The mechanical and plant engineering industry supports the EU Commission's plan to include flexible and sustainable gas-fired power plants that can be converted to hydrogen in the EU taxonomy. However, linking this exclusively to the replacement of coal-fired power plants is not goal-oriented.
Blue Competence is an initiative of the VDMA to promote sustainability in mechanical and plant engineering. At the same time, the initiative aims to publicize sustainable solutions to the industry that lead to new energy concepts, efficient use of scarce resources or an improvement in the quality of life.
With the aim of developing an alternative solution proposal, the authors of the BEE study modeled an energy future dominated by renewable energies and derived necessary measures.
Sustainable gas-fired power plants are a climate protection technology. In order to trigger sufficient investments, it is crucial that the rules of the EU taxonomy are designed accordingly and realistically.
With the RoHS Project Pack 22, a study was conducted to evaluate extension requests for RoHS Exemptions 6(a), 6(b), and 6(c), among others, and has now been published.
You can watch the recording of our last info day again here.
Update 6/24/2022: On April 21, 2021, the EU Commission published a proposal for the revision of the so-called CSR Directive (Non Financial Reporting Directive - NFRD), which has been in force in Germany since 2017 and would significantly expand the scope of application.
"Closing the loop" is the motto of the EU Commission's comprehensive circular economy package. It aims to do much more than just save a little bit of resources and recycle a little bit more.
The European Commission claims the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is both a carbon leakage and a climate protection mechanism. VDMA is however concerned that neither goals is fully achieved through this proposal.
The EU's Taxonomy Regulation makes it more difficult for mechanical and plant engineering companies to access financing for the development of energy-efficient technologies of the future - but it also offers opportunities.
Update 20.06.2022: On February 23, 2022, European Commission presented its proposal for a directive on corporate due diligence in the field of sustainability. In Germany, the Bundestag has already passed a Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) in summer 2021.
Since the beginning of 2021, importers of conflict minerals such as tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from risk areas into the EU are subject to mandatory due diligence requirements.
Status 2/4/2022 - The directive requires certain companies in the EU to disclose non-financial aspects in or in addition to their annual report. This directive is currently under revision until 2021.
VDMA partners
