European paper industry: Preliminary statistics 2022

Cepi member countries’ paper and board production decreased by 5.9% in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to preliminary figures, reflecting the heavy impact on the industry of high energy prices and an abrupt slowdown of the European economy during the second half of the past year. Total production in 2022 reached 84.8 million tonnes, with a decrease reported in almost all paper and board grades with the notable exception of household and sanitary grades.

At the same time, consumption of paper has remained stable in spite of the EU’s economic slowdown, its GDP growing by 0.3% in the third quarter and stagnating during the last quarter of 2022 according to the latest estimates. The EU economy is now forecast to grow only by 0.8% in 2023 and by 1.6% in 2024.