ETIRA Members Unite in Tallinn to Shape a Fairer, More Sustainable Market
May 21, 2025
A conference focused on compliance and the circular economy
The main conference day on 14 May brought together expert voices from across the industry. Sessions explored the intersection of circularity, chip technology, regulatory change, and business resilience. Jason Doran (Zhono) addressed barriers to reuse created by chip design, while Keypoint Intelligence presented new research on shifting print behaviours. ETIRA board member David Connett challenged businesses to embrace purposeful print, with a focus on trusted, compliant, high-value services aligned to future market needs.
Contributions from Richard Catley (Ricoh) and Juan Carot (Brother UK) further underlined the importance of the circular economy. They shared the remanufacturing journeys of their respective companies and the operational realities of delivering sustainability at scale.
In the afternoon, Jan de Kesel introduced the emerging role of Digital Product Passports in supporting transparency and compliance. The final two sessions centred on ETIRA’s work: Secretary General Vincent van Dijk gave a comprehensive update on Brussels-level policy, including progress on Ecodesign, sustainability, and anti-greenwashing rules. He also introduced the ETIRA 2025 Report, which outlines the association’s priorities and action plan for the year ahead.
Download the ETIRA 2025 Report here.
ETIRA President Javier Martínez then led a workshop on market risks and enforcement challenges, offering practical advice on WEEE, REACH, and other core compliance responsibilities.
ETIRA AGM: Strategy, oversight and new leadership
Following the conference, ETIRA members held the association’s Annual General Meeting. Members approved the 2024 accounts and adopted the 2025 budget. Elections to the ETIRA board were also held. The newly elected board is as follows:
- President: Javier Martínez
- Vice-President: Gerwald van der Gijp
- Board Members: Sara Ferreri, Jan-Michael Sieg, Peter Knak, Volker Kappius, and David Connett
Milan Banjac did not stand for re-election, and the general assembly thanked him for his valued contribution to ETIRA over the past years.
The AGM reaffirmed ETIRA’s strategic priorities: strengthening advocacy, particularly regarding the upcoming EU ecodesign regulation on the printing industry, ensuring fair market access, improving compliance, and supporting members across Europe in the transition to a more sustainable, circular economy.
Trade Day: Dialogue and deeper connections
On 15 May, the focus shifted to informal engagement. ETIRA members and other delegates took part in Trade Day, a slower-paced, high-value networking session that enabled deeper conversations between industry peers, supporters, and potential partners. One-to-one discussions, product demos and tabletop presentations helped build relationships and extend the dialogue begun during the conference.
Looking ahead
ETIRA remains committed to delivering a level playing field for remanufacturers across Europe through informed lobbying, practical support, and continued collaboration with its members. Events like The Recycler Live provide an essential meeting point to reinforce shared values, assess emerging risks, and drive the transition to a more sustainable, compliant and competitive imaging sector.
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2025ETIRA AGM
Tallinn
ETIRA/The Recycler Live Conference in Brussels: EU Ecodesign Rules Take Centre Stage!
May 25, 2024
An eventful gathering of industry leaders
On 15-16 May 2024, ETIRA held its annual meeting in Brussels, coinciding with “The Recycler Live Europe” conference. With around 95 delegates attending, this event once again proved to be the premier gathering for industry professionals to network and stay updated on the latest industry trends.
Day One Highlights
The conference kicked off on Wednesday with a compelling presentation about the market in war-torn Ukraine. Following this, Jose Angel Munoz of GM Technology provided insights into the hardware reuse market in Spain. Karolina Wrzesniak-Cywl of Biuromax then discussed the crucial role of components and spare parts in cartridge remanufacturing.
The spotlight of the day was on the forthcoming EU ecodesign legislation for imaging equipment and cartridges. HP introduced its innovative approach to sharing chip resetting data with the industry, marking a significant shift compared to its current business model ETIRA’s Javier Martinez and Vincent van Dijk, along with Volker Kappius from Delacamp, delved into the new law’s implications, emphasising its potential to transform the cartridge remanufacturing landscape.
Keynote Address
Mathieu Rama of ECOS, a European NGO focused on environmental standards, delivered the keynote address. He highlighted the alignment of ECOS’s initiatives with the EU’s Right to Repair policy and advocated increased cartridge reuse. Bram Soenen from the Belgian Government provided insights into the general support for regulation among Member States.
ETIRA Members’ Meeting
At the ETIRA members’ only meeting, attendees reviewed and approved finance and other statutory matters. A significant portion of the discussion centred on the anticipated impact of the upcoming EU regulations on the ecodesign of printers and cartridges on daily business operations.
Networking and Awards
The evening reception and dinner, featuring the presentation of The Recycler’s Annual Awards, offered excellent networking opportunities. Delegates mingled and celebrated industry achievements.
Day Two Insights
Thursday’s sessions featured presentations from market analysts, including Charlie Brewer of Action Intelligence and Debra Hawkins and Peter Mayhew from Keypoint Intelligence, who shared the latest market research data. Additionally, Zhono provided valuable market insights, and industry veteran David Connett concluded the day with an analysis of the non-OEM new builds market.
Acknowledgements
ETIRA extends its heartfelt thanks to the event organisers, Stefanie Unland from The Recycler Magazine, David Connett from Connett & Unland GbR, and the numerous sponsors who made this event possible, including Static Control, Altkin, Biuromax, Denner, KMP, Consuprint, Delacamp, Geehy/APEX, and Nubeprint.
Our Sponsors and Supporters
The support from our sponsors is crucial to the success of our conference. Their contributions enable us to provide a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and innovation. We deeply appreciate their commitment and support.
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2024Brussels
ETIRA AGM
Save the date: ETIRA’s AGM to take place this June
March 17, 2023
ETIRA’s annual general meeting is set to take place in Barcelona this June, marking the association’s 20th year in business.
The event will be held at NH Barcelona Stadium Hotel as part of The Recycler Magazine’s Recycler Live Conference, on the 15 and 16 June 2023.
Vincent van Dijk, secretary general of ETIRA, said: “We’re very much looking forward to this year’s AGM, in Barcelona this June.
“The event will mark 20 years of the Association and provide us with a great chance to bring our members together to celebrate the work we’ve done in that time, from carrying out important political lobbying work within the EU, to providing a platform for organisations within the industry to connect and communicate with one another.”