How can Europe combine competitiveness and sustainability in a changing global environment? This was the central question at the 14th VinylPlus Sustainability Forum 2026, held in Genval, Belgium, on 10–11 June 2026.
Under the theme MAKE.IT.HAPPEN. IN EUROPE, the Forum brought together policymakers, UN representatives, NGOs, academics and industry leaders to discuss how collaboration, innovation and pragmatic policymaking can support a competitive and sustainable future for Europe.
For VinylPlus Pipes, water resilience was a central topic. The Forum’s first session, Make. Water Resilience. Happen. in Europe, addressed how smart, sustainable and future-ready water infrastructure can support Europe’s industrial competitiveness, climate adaptation and long-term resilience.
The session included contributions from UNIDO, Water Europe, the European Chemicals Agency, KWR Water Research Institute and TEPPFA. A dedicated presentation by Vessela Vitcheva, Regulatory Officer in ECHA’s Drinking Water Team, focused on how the Drinking Water Directive will shape water management in Europe.
The discussion underlined the importance of constructive dialogue between regulators, water experts and industry. As climate change, demographic growth and ageing infrastructure place increasing pressure on Europe’s water systems, reliable and efficient water infrastructure is becoming increasingly important.
PVC piping systems contribute through long service life, corrosion resistance and low-leakage performance, supporting both drinking water and wastewater networks. Roundtable discussions also addressed new EU compliance challenges for PVC articles in contact with drinking water, proactive management of PVC pipe water networks, and circularity in water storage and supply networks.
The Forum also addressed affordable housing and sustainability, where PVC products contribute through durability, cost-efficiency, energy performance and recyclability.
A key milestone was the launch of the revised VinylPlus 2030 Commitment, following a mid-term review conducted in 2025 and early 2026. The revised Commitment maintains a strong focus on circularity, carbon reduction, product sustainability and life-cycle performance, including the objective of using at least one million tonnes of recycled PVC in new products by 2030.
Charlotte Röber, Managing Director of VinylPlus, noted that PVC recycling volumes increased by 5.7% despite difficult market conditions, underlining the resilience of Europe’s established collection and recycling value chains. The figures are published in the VinylPlus Progress Report 2026.
Concluding the Forum, Carsten Heuer, Vice-Chairman of VinylPlus, emphasised that the revised 2030 Commitment strengthens VinylPlus’ role as a trusted partner for society and supports a more competitive, resilient and sustainable European industry.
The message from VSF2026 was clear: competitiveness and sustainability can reinforce each other. Through cooperation between industry, policymakers, academia and civil society, Europe can create the conditions for both to thrive.
Carsten Heuer, Vice-Chairman of VinylPlus, and Charlotte Röber, Managing Director of VinylPlus.
Christophe Yvetot, UNIDO.
Professor Gert Peersman, Ghent University.
Pieter Staelens, European Commission.
