Flat Glass: Essential but Hard to Decarbonise
Supplying the building, automotive, and solar sectors, flat glass is critical to Europe’s green transition. However, the industry lacks breakthrough technologies to drastically cut emissions during production, while also facing rising costs and fierce global competition.

Current ETS Not Fit for Post-2030 Goals
According to Glass for Europe, the existing EU ETS is ill-suited to meet the bloc’s 2040 climate targets. A redesigned system is essential to restore a viable business case for sustainable flat glass manufacturing.

Five Key Policy Recommendations
Glass for Europe’s position paper outlines five major reforms:

• Continued protection from carbon leakage via free allocations, calibrated at sector level.
• Harmonised compensation for indirect emissions to ease energy cost burdens.
• Flexibility to include negative emissions, carbon removals, and international credits.
• Enhanced innovation funding through instruments like the Innovation Fund and Decarbonisation Bank.
• A new, long-term EU ETS framework aligned with industrial investment cycles.

A Call for Climate Policy That Works for Industry
Glass for Europe stresses that a revised EU ETS must support innovation and provide certainty to sectors like flat glass, central to achieving Europe’s climate and sustainability goals.

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Beyond U-Value: Introducing the g-Value

Until now, national building codes across Europe primarily evaluated glazing based on U-value, which measures thermal insulation. However, this one-dimensional approach overlooked the role of solar gain. The new guidance introduces the g-value (solar factor) as a required criterion. This measures the amount of solar energy transmitted through glazing, allowing for smarter decisions that consider both heat loss and passive heat gain, depending on climate and building type.

High-Performance Glazing for Renovations

For renovations, especially in older homes and small non-residential buildings, the Commission encourages replacing outdated glass with high-performance alternatives. These new products must be optimized for both low U-values and suitable g-values to ensure energy savings throughout the year. This recommendation is seen as a boost for the insulating glass market and a driver for innovation.

Support and Industry Action

The Commission also recommends Member States introduce support mechanisms to assist building owners and small businesses in adopting advanced glazing technologies. Glass for Europe and its network of national partners have committed to ensuring the guidance is implemented in national legislation by the 29 May 2026 deadline. This will not only promote better energy performance but also support the European Union’s broader climate goals, setting the stage for a new era of sustainable, glass-integrated architecture.

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Technological and Investment Barriers
During the meeting under the Glass Alliance Europe umbrella, Mr. Cappellino emphasized that no viable technology yet exists to achieve the required CO₂ emission reductions. He highlighted the essential role of flat glass and glazing products in the EU’s climate neutrality goals, urging robust policy support to help overcome technological and financial hurdles.

Industry Perspectives at the European Parliament
On 3 June, Adrien Carton, Industrial Policy Manager at Glass for Europe, took part in a Renew Europe parliamentary roundtable on energy-intensive industries. The discussion addressed challenges such as high energy costs and low demand for low-carbon products. Mr. Carton supported creating lead markets for EU-made low-carbon glass but warned against lengthy regulatory processes that could hinder progress.

Advancing Circularity with Secondary Raw Materials
Glass for Europe also stressed the importance of improving access to high-quality secondary raw materials, like cullet, under the forthcoming Circular Economy Act. This is critical for advancing circular manufacturing practices in the glass industry.

Looking Ahead
Glass for Europe appreciates the ongoing engagement from Members of the European Parliament and looks forward to continuing dialogue that supports a sustainable and competitive future for Europe’s flat glass sector.

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Dominance of Construction and Transportation Sectors

The construction sector leads the market, representing the largest share due to stringent EU energy regulations and growing environmental consciousness. Smart glass is increasingly integrated into new builds, renovations, and retrofit projects to reduce energy consumption and improve occupant comfort. The transportation sector, encompassing automotive, aerospace, and rail, also shows significant growth, with smart glass used for adaptive windows, sunroofs, and windshields that improve passenger experience and vehicle efficiency.

Technology Trends and Market Challenges

Electrochromic glass is the leading technology segment due to its mature production processes, durability, and precise light control. Innovations now focus on integrating smart glass with IoT-enabled building management systems, enhancing automation and energy optimization. Additionally, new developments in self-powered smart glass using renewable energy sources underline the sustainability focus in the industry.

Competitive Landscape and Market Outlook

The market is moderately concentrated, with major players like Saint-Gobain and Asahi Glass Corporation dominating the electrochromic segment, while smaller innovative firms contribute to niche applications and ongoing innovation.

Germany and the UK currently lead the European smart glass market, supported by strong construction activity and governmental incentives for energy-efficient solutions. By 2025, the market is estimated to be valued around €500 million, with projections reaching €4.5 billion by 2028.

Transforming How We See and Build

Europe’s smart glass industry is poised to become a cornerstone of sustainable construction and transportation. Driven by regulatory pressures, technological innovation, and growing environmental awareness, smart glass is reshaping architectural design and vehicle manufacturing. As costs decrease and integration improves, smart glass will continue to expand its footprint, literally transforming the way we interact with our built environment.

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Glass for Europe recently participated in the  77th session of the UN Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP) in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of the CLEPA delegation. Our primary objective was to contribute to crucial discussions surrounding head-form testing on vehicles, specifically under UN Regulation 127.

The core purpose of our involvement was to offer valuable technical insights into the unique characteristics of automotive glass. Understanding the specific properties of this material is paramount for policymakers striving to develop safety requirements that are not only effective in enhancing pedestrian protection but also practically achievable for vehicle manufacturers.

Improving pedestrian safety globally is a vital endeavor, and the regulatory landscape must acknowledge the diverse properties of the various components involved in a vehicle, including its glazing. To ensure vehicle manufacturers can reliably meet stringent safety standards, it is essential to recognize and account for the inherent statistical nature of glass strength and behavior.

This underscores the importance of providing accurate information regarding windscreen breakage behavior, the established safety glazing standards, and the relevant glass regulations. By doing so, we can collectively work towards future regulations that are truly fit for purpose, taking into account the real-world performance of automotive glass.

Glass for Europe is committed to fostering a comprehensive understanding of flat glass and its properties within the regulatory sphere. We remain readily available to contracting parties, as well as any other interested stakeholders, for further dialogue and collaboration on this critical topic.

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Representing Glass for Europe, Chairman Mr. Davide Cappellino from AGC Glass Europe participated in a substantive discussion alongside Mr. Kurt Vandenberghe from DG CLIMA, Ms. Elena Donazzan from the European Parliament, and Mr. Giovanni Puri Purini. During this exchange, they highlighted a crucial point: the technology required for the full decarbonisation of flat glass production is not yet readily available at an industrial scale. This observation served as a catalyst for a comprehensive dialogue on the future trajectory of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), a cornerstone of European climate policy.

The event served as a platform to articulate several key policy proposals aimed at facilitating the industry’s transition. These proposals included the imperative of ensuring access to low-carbon energy sources, the necessary infrastructure to support this transition, and a reliable supply of recycled glass, a vital component in reducing the industry’s environmental footprint. Furthermore, attendees stressed the importance of supporting electrification efforts by making the glass sector eligible for indirect cost compensation under the EU ETS. They also advocated for measures to address existing investment gaps, recognizing that significant capital expenditure is required to implement decarbonisation technologies, particularly in areas where solutions are still under development.

A key focus of the discussions was the structure and functioning of the EU ETS. Proposals were put forth to reform the system to guarantee liquidity on the carbon market, ensuring efficient price discovery and predictable investment signals. Crucially, attendees emphasized the need for robust protection against carbon leakage, a phenomenon where production shifts to regions with less stringent climate policies, undermining the effectiveness of EU measures. The concept of creating lead markets for low-carbon European-made products was also discussed, aiming to stimulate demand and provide a competitive advantage for sustainably produced glass. Finally, the importance of timely trade defense measures was highlighted as a necessary safeguard against unfair competition from third countries that do not face comparable carbon costs.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe and acting Secretary General of Glass Alliance Europe, underscored the industry’s deep commitment to sustainable practices. However, he also emphasized that significant enabling conditions are still required from policymakers to accelerate the pace of transformation across the sector.

Looking ahead, industry representatives expressed their anticipation for continued dialogue on future relevant legislations. They reiterated the fundamental importance of flat glass products in advancing the EU’s sustainable and industrial objectives, highlighting their crucial role in construction, renewable energy technologies, and various other applications. The overarching message was a call for collaborative efforts to prevent Europe from losing its strategic glass manufacturing capabilities in the face of global competition and the imperative of decarbonisation.

The organizers extended their gratitude to the moderator, speakers, and all participants for their engaging contributions, as well as acknowledging the patronage of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union for supporting this important event. This gathering underscored the shared understanding that achieving a green and competitive glass industry requires concerted action from all stakeholders.

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Flat glass manufacturing in Europe is currently facing record-low demand due to economic downturns in both the construction and automotive sectors. At the same time, the industry’s global competitiveness is being eroded by high energy prices and rising operating and regulatory costs.

To strengthen its advocacy for European competitiveness, local manufacturing and fair international competition, Glass for Europe has officially joined AEGIS Europe.

This alliance focuses on:

• Promoting manufacturing, investment, employment, growth and innovation in Europe in a fair international competition and a level playing field environment;
• Ensuring the effective and predictable enforcement of the EU’s trade defence system;
• Advocating against distortions, notably those from state-run or other non-market economies, which risk endangering jobs and know-how in Europe’s industrial value chains.

Glass for Europe will actively contribute to working groups focused on advocacy, public procurement, industrial policy and the Carbon Border Adjustment Task Force.

With key initiatives like the forthcoming Clean Industrial Deal and evolving geopolitical dynamics, joining this alliance is a strategic priority. Glass for Europe looks forward to a productive and impactful collaboration.

Source: Glass for Europe with additional information added by GlassBalkan

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Source: Glass for Europe with additional information added by GlassBalkan

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Glass cannot be recycled if shredded with other components. For automotive glass to be recycled into glass, dismantling and sorting should take place before shredding.

Therefore, the EU Commission’s proposal on glass dismantling in the ELVR would be an excellent legislative lever to increase the availability of high-quality automotive glass cullet and boost recycled content in glazing.

Creating this availability of end-of-life automotive glass is essential to boost circularity and sustainability in glass manufacturing and improve the recycling of end-of-life vehicles.

That is why actors of the glass recycling, interlayer, and glass manufacturing industries jointly call on policy-makers to ensure that systematic glass dismantling from end-of-life vehicles becomes a reality all around Europe.

The full statement is available here.

For more details on the importance of glass dismantling for the flat glass sector, see the dedicated paper by Glass for Europe available here

Source: GfE with additional information added by GlassBalkan

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This decision reflects the urgent need to tackle challenges related to access to decent, sustainable and affordable housing – a priority that the flat glass sector can play a helping hand with.

The newly formed special committee will operate for 12 months, focusing on identifying practical solutions to improve housing conditions across the EU. The Parliament’s work will run in parallel with the European Commission’s preparation of an Affordable Housing Plan.

The special committee will focus on a range of actions aimed at addressing housing challenges. Among others, it intends to:

• assess policies and legislative proposals needed to improve the provision and availability of decent, sustainable and affordable housing, including by enabling new construction, housing reconversion and renovation programs;
• to map innovative technologies, processes, services and products to support the renovation wave, taking into account existing Union initiatives;
• to map where administrative and regulatory burdens are hampering the renovation wave, with the aim of reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while ensuring quality work in the construction sector and quality standards for affordable housing.

Housing is a Member State competence, but energy efficiency legislation, fiscal policies and state aid frameworks all influence housing strategies and initiatives.

Glass for Europe is therefore ready to contribute to the work of the Special Committee by participating in hearings and providing written contributions. The role of key materials such as high-performance glass needs to be considered in the work on housing. Glazing solutions help to reduce the running costs of buildings by reducing the need for heating and cooling, but they also have a direct impact on the health and well-being of occupants.

Source:GfE with additional information added by GlassBalkan

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