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The 2024 edition of the EPMF Annual Report is published!

1 April 2025

The EPMF is happy to present its 2024 Annual Report.
 
2024 was a busy year for the EPMF as we elected a new board, continued work on several scientific research projects, updated our REACH dossiers, defined our policy asks for the new political mandate and celebrated 15 years of the EPMF! This report will take you through our top priorities and activities for 2024 including our work on chemicals management, sustainability and communications.

Read the full report here!


EPMF’s response to the Steel & Metals Action Plan

19 March 2025

Brussels, 19 March 2025 – The European Precious Metals Federation (EPMF) welcomes the Commission’s drive to create a European Steel and Metals Action Plan in order to strengthen Europe’s economic security, resilience, and strategic autonomy on the global stage. The text proposed today, however, is a missed opportunity to fully unlock the metals sector’s potential in driving the green and digital transition.
 
As the voice of the precious metals industry, we are taken aback that precious metals have been excluded from the scope of the Plan. The Commission has reasoned that precious metals are produced in small volumes and are often critical raw materials, therefore falling under the scope of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). On the contrary, only Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are critical raw materials; Gold and Silver are not.
 
“The fact is that Europe’s industry cannot decarbonise without precious metals. Platinum group metals, gold and silver are crucial components in the production of hydrogen and the electrification of grids, to give just two basic examples,” said France Capon, Secretary General of the European Precious Metal Federation.
 
“By excluding precious metals from the Plan, the commission is setting up European industry for failure,” she added.
 
Precious metals are crucial for decarbonisation. They are essential components for countless green technologies, renewable energy, batteries, and storage, and emissions reduction applications, including electric vehicles. What’s more, PGMs are critical elements in catalysts for hydrogen production and silver in electric grids, both of which have been identified in the Steel and Metals Action Plan as key issues for industrial electrification and the security of the metals sector. Therefore, more generic measures outlined in the plan, such as access to grids and affordable energy prices, as well as circular economy provisions like those on access to scrap metals, must also apply to precious metals.  
 
All metals are essential for the reindustrialisation and decarbonisation of Europe. Precious metals, despite their small volume, have a big role to play in achieving the aims of the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal and Steel and Metals Action Plan. We urge the Commission to set clear objectives and guidelines for all metals, including precious metals, to ensure regulatory certainty and guarantee their uptake, circularity, and contribution to a strong, resilient, and green European industrial sector.


EPMF welcomes the Clean Industrial Deal

28 February 2025

On 26 February, the European Commission published the long-awaited Clean Industrial Deal. As signatories of the Antwerp Declaration in 2024, the EPMF welcomes the Commission’s strategy to decarbonise, reindustrialise and innovate EU industry. 
 
We see several potential opportunities for the precious metals sector as well as some challenges within the initiatives outlined in the Deal.

Opportunities:

1. The focus on lead markets and green hydrogen is positive for PGMs.  

2. There are several opportunities under the Circular Economy Act including the development of “end of waste” criteria, targeted reciprocal limits on the export of CRM waste, incentives to increase scrap metal use, and increased use of recycled materials.  

3. The Steel and Metals Action Plan has the potential to propose concrete actions to boost the competitiveness of the EU’s metals industries.

Potential Challenges:  

1. While the Chemicals Industry Package is mentioned, the upcoming REACH revision and chemicals management were absent from the text despite being critical for industry. We hope that the Commission plans to ensure consistency between chemicals management and industry. 

On the same day, France Capon and several EPMF members attended the European Industry Summit 2025 in Antwerp to discuss the launch of the Clean Industrial Deal with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.  

We were happy to hear President von der Leyen recognise the importance circularity, and in particular the critical role that metals like zinc and platinum as secondary materials. We agree that Europe can do even more to boost the recycling of precious metals and enabling the free movement of secondary materials and waste.  

We look forward to seeing how the initiatives under the Clean Industrial Deal develop in the coming years and are ready to work with policymakers to ensure that these rules work for the precious metals industry!  




The EPMF Team is growing – please welcome Tina Liesirova

17 June 2024

Tina is our new scientific manager. Her PhD in biogeochemistry and training as a geologist will help strengthen the EPMF position in science, in particular in human and environmental health.



The EPMF and International Copper Association Europe message to new European Parliament

10 June 2024

On June 6-9 the EU has voted a new European Parliament. Perfect timing to join forces and remind the EPMF and International Copper Association Europe key messages:
– coherence
– predictability
– compromise
– support from the regulators
How this can be achieved? – EU needs a strong European industrial deal lead by a Vice-President. Moreover, the EU urgently needs right regulations at the right moment with the right implementation.
Check more closely the EPMF Key Asks 2019-2024 .
Also, don’t forget to take a look at International Copper Association Europe Policy Priorities’ new page.
… and at The Antwerp Declaration for European Industrial Deal.


France Capon at the Antwerp Declaration roundtable

15 May 2024

The EPMF has co-signed the Antwerp Declaration and continues actively contributing to its development. On May 15th, France Capon was representing the EPMF and Eurometaux at the Antwerp Declaration roundtable with Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, that was organized by Cefic and industryAll Europe. Discussion between social partners and industry was dedicated to skills, quality jobs, climate neutrality, industrial transformation and more. The roundtable was concluded by a signing ceremony of the joint position paper calling for “An Industrial Deal focused on ensuring quality industrial jobs in Europe”.


6-9 May 2024

Jelle Mertens at SETAC meetings in Seville

The EPMF, represented by Jelle Mertens, participated at SETAC Europe 34th Annual Meeting in Seville. SETAC meetings bring together scientists from various disciplines in academia, business, industry and government to share, debate, discuss, disseminate and facilitate the use and re-use of their most recent scientific knowledge to support adaptive and responsive environmental management and protection. This year meeting’s theme was dedicated to “Science-Based Solutions in Times of Crisis: Integrating Science and Policy for Environmental Challenges.”

Jelle Mertens co-authored posters on:

influence of the initial speciation of platinum and palladium on their bioavailability to a green alga,
holistic modelling approach to predict silver toxicity on rainbow trout populations,
common approach for setting environmental self-classifications for metals and metal compounds.


You can also check the posters on the EPMF LinkedIn page here.

15 April 2024

The EPMF is among more than 1000 signatures of the Antwerp Declaration

The EPMF has co-signed the Antwerp Declaration to express its full support for a European Industrial Deal to complement the Green Deal and keep high quality jobs for European workers in Europe. The Declaration calls to Member State Governments, the next European Commission and Parliament to:
1. Put the Industrial Deal at the core of the new European Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029.
2. Include a strong public funding chapter with a Clean Tech Deployment Fund.
3. Make Europe a globally competitive provider of energy.
4. Focus on the infrastructure Europe needs.
5. Increase the EU’s raw materials security.
6. Boost demand for net zero, low carbon and circular products.
7. Leverage, enforce, revive and improve the Single Market.
8. Make the innovation framework smarter.
9. A new spirit of law-making.
10. Ensure the structure allows to achieve results.


Read, sign and share: https://antwerp-declaration.eu/


8 April 2024

The newest edition of the EPMF Annual Report is already available!

The EPMF proudly presents its Annual Report. Let’s look back together to the year 2023 and see what kept (and still keeps) the EPMF busy, as well as our communications and outreach strategy.
What else you can find in the report? Facts about the precious metal and… a quiz! Do not hesitate to test your knowledge in lesser known metals, such as iridium and rhodium.
 
Enjoy the reading!

Event ‘REACH and Raw Materials: Achieving Europe’s Green Deal goals together’ on October 17 in Brussels

6 November 2023

‘Coherence, efficiency and predictability’ – concluding words by Wouter Ghyoot (Umicore), the President of EPMF at the debate ‘REACH and Raw Materials: Achieving Europe’s Green Deal goals together’ that was co-organized with Eurometaux. A very timely and topical debate bringing together policy makers, NGO and industry. Our panellists: Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea (DG Environment), Hélène Duguy (ClientEarth) and Adly Manseri (Belgian Permanent Representation) were not only discussing how the REACH regulation could provide more certainty and environmental protection for Europe’s raw materials investment agenda, but also, we tried to find solutions and best possible ways to move forward, especially in coherence between the EU’s chemicals and raw materials policy actions. If missed it, please check the recording here.

France Capon nominated as Vice-Chair of the Chemicals Committee at BIAC

14 June 2023

The EPMF Secretary General France Capon was nominated as Vice-Chair of the Chemicals Committee of Business at OECD (BIAC). The BIAC’s Chemicals Committee enables private sector access to a wide range of OECD activities on chemical management and safety. It also contributes to the development of policies and instruments for chemical testing and assessment, fosters information exchange, and provides a framework for private sector exchanges.
We wish France all the success on this new and exciting adventure!

EPMF General Assembly

6-7 June 2023

A sunny hello from Frankfurt am Main! The EPMF and its Members gathered for a two-day General Assembly meeting. Busy agenda with many topics to cover and discuss. This time we welcomed two very special guest speakers:
– Richard Meads from European Regulation and Innovation Forum. He gave us a sneak peek into a soon to be published research project on regulatory philosophies,
– Philipp Walter, Heraeus showed us that precious metals are indeed indispensable in hydrogen applications and play and important role in carbon neutrality.
Anything fun? The EPMF meetings are never boring! We enjoyed a traditional Frankfurt dinner in a cosy atmosphere and visited Heraeus headquarters in Hanau. A big thank you to our Vice-President Marius Vigener and Heraeus Team for welcoming the EPMF Members at the site. And of course, many thanks to our Members for joining and see you again at the next General Assembly in December in Brussels!

Scientific Publication : “Comparative in vivo toxicokinetics of silver powder, nanosilver and soluble silver compounds after oral administration to rats”

22 May 2023

The EPMF scientific team, Jelle Mertens, Anissa Alami and Katrien Arijs, ARCHE Consulting, is glad to present a new in vivo comparative toxicokinetics study of soluble silver compounds, nanosilver, silver powder supporting the prediction that silver in massive and powder forms exhibit low toxicity potential. The study can be accessed on the EPMF Scientific Publications page or in Archives of Toxicology.
Have a good read!

The EPMF Secretary General France Capon at REACH Conference in Bratislava

22-23 May 2023

The EPMF, Eurometaux and Cefic co-organised a Chemicals Management workshop in Bratislava with a local partner Ekotox.sk. The aim of this workshop was to share information on the REACH revision and have a discussion with authorities and industries of the Visegrád countries. The European Commission presented the current status of the REACH revision and its views on it. The EPMF and Eurometaux provided input on the MAF (Mixture Assessment Factor), the 4C concept (chemicals, climate, circularity and criticality) and critical aspects that are expected for the Risk Management update, e.g. the generic risk assessment (GRA) and the essential use concept (EUC). All the presentations lead to fruitful discussion panels.