European packaging institutes call for joint action to support Ukraine

The European Packaging Institutes Consortium has released a call for a set of joint actions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week. EPIC’s statement is reproduced below in full:

EPIC (European Packaging Institutes Consortium) was founded in 2002 and is the organisation where European packaging institutes come together on behalf of their members and the packaging business community as a whole, to identify areas where regional or pan-European cooperation in packaging might best be fostered. EPIC members meet regularly, based on an open and free exchange of insights, an open eye for mutual sustainable development and friendship.

EPIC calls upon all business actors in Europe to defend their shared values in packaging science, education, information exchange and cooperation. The basis of these values is mutual respect, open-mindedness and friendship.

• EPIC fundamentally rejects the military actions of Russia in Ukraine
• EPIC supports the citizens of Ukraine and all those active in the packaging specifically
• EPIC supports the citizens of Russia and all those active in the packaging specifically, who speak out against the military actions of Russia in Ukraine
• EPIC will support the Ukraine packaging business sector in major upcoming events, conferences and packaging exhibitions where it’s members will be participating this year
• EPIC calls on organisers of events, conferences and packaging exhibitions in Europe to support the Ukraine packaging business sector in their events this year
• EPIC calls on organisers of packaging exhibitions to refrain from organising exhibitions in Russia and Belarus immediately
• EPIC calls on all press and publicity media in Europe to openly support this call to action immediately in defending our shared values in packaging science, education, information exchange and cooperation

In solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and in line with our fundamental belief in international collaboration for the common good, Packaging Europe whole-heartedly supports EPIC’s position.

EPIC represents the national packaging institutes of Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the UK