Brussels, 2 July 2025 – The European Tissue Industry (ETS) and Cepi, representing the European Paper Industry, have announced the successful completion of a joint project to align terminology. The step towards clarity and consistency in the way tissue products are defined is intended to harmonise and simplify terminology for companies up and down the tissue value chain, as well as for analysts, consultants and media covering the sector.
The new terminology is meant to become the default in all future reporting, specifications and publications. Two easy-to-follow infographics have been created to present the newly agreed terminology alongside legacy and alternative wording. One covers Tissue Paper (intermediate products) and the other Tissue Products (finished converted products). They are featured on a dedicated page on the ETS website and will be actively promoted to global actors.
Cross-industry initiative brings greater clarity and supports companies, media, consultants and analysts in their reporting.
“This terminology guide was motivated by the inconsistency in tissue statistics and terminology in Europe and around the world,” explains ETS Director General, Carlos Reinoso. “It is a non-confidential resource, created to streamline communication across technical commercial and media contexts, and could not have been achieved without the close involvement of Cepi and its National Association members.”
The collaborative and transparent effort began in early 2024 with the creation of a joint Cepi-ETS task force gathering experts from leading tissue companies, national associations and the two organisations themselves. It sought to align differences in terminology that had led to confusion in reporting production and trade data. The need for clear, transparent and internationally aligned statistics to support policy, trade and sustainability had been further underlined during the COVID-19 pandemic which brought increased focus on the industry.
“The harmonisation that the new terminology introduces supports a more unified EU Single Market, at a time when there is a new push for it from EU Institutions” said Jori Ringman, Cepi Director General. “Everyone working in the sector is encouraged to adopt the harmonised terms immediately and share them with peers and colleagues. Our members will play an important role in spreading the word up and down our industry value chain, and ensuring that everyone is using the updated terms in their daily work.”
The newly harmonised framework covers several key areas including Terminology Alignment; Clarification of Product Segmentation; Customs Code Harmonisation; Trade and Production Data Improvements and Alignment with ISO 12625-1:2019.
“We will now be working in coordination with our counterparts around the world including AF&PA in the US, FPAC in Canada, CNHPIA in China and JPA in Japan to promote this harmonised framework internationally to support global statistical alignment and trade transparency,” concluded Carlos Reinoso.
