Driving competitiveness and sustainability: What to expect at the Fastmarkets Forest Products Europe Conference 2026

The Fastmarkets Forest Products Europe Conference 2026 returns to Barcelona on March 9–11, bringing together 300+ senior decision makers from across Europe’s pulp, paper, packaging, and recycling value chain to exchange insight and engage in high-value strategic discussions.

Europe’s pulp and paper sector enters 2026 amid tariff shifts, supply, security concerns, global uncertainty, and cost pressures — forces that are reshaping sourcing strategies and trade flows and making agility essential. At the same time, tightening sustainability regulation and circularity goals are accelerating moves toward regional fibre sourcing, recycled grades, and low-carbon innovation. Companies face the challenge of balancing regulatory demands with investments that secure long-term competitiveness.

The conference offers a critical moment for the industry to assess these pressures collectively and identify emerging opportunities.

Exclusive outlooks, forecasts, and executive insight

Attendees will gain access to exclusive Fastmarkets forecasts across containerboard, boxboard, tissue, graphic paper, pulp, and recovered paper, helping delegates anticipate price direction, capacity movements, and market dynamics shaping 2026. Executive panels and policy briefings will provide commercially grounded discussions on decarbonisation, fibre availability, global competitiveness, and cost efficiency strategies essential for mills under pressure.

The speaker lineup features an exceptional roster of CEOs and C-suite leaders from major European companies — including Metsä Board, RDM Group, Saica Group, Holmen, and DS Smith — alongside global experts and Fastmarkets senior economists. Their insights will anchor sessions on consolidation and M&A, strategic investment, and the evolution of Europe’s packaging, tissue, and graphic paper markets.

Hot topics defining 2026 and beyond

This year’s agenda explores the issues most shaping the industry’s trajectory: overcapacity and consolidation, regulatory developments, end-user demand shifts, circularity and bioeconomy models, energy and cost competitiveness, innovation under pressure, and collaboration as a lever for growth. A mix of plenary sessions, executive panels, focused outlooks, and parallel sessions discussions ensures delegates receive practical, actionable perspectives.

A unique opportunity for on-the-ground insight

Delegates can also join an exclusive site visit to RDM’s Paprinsa Mill in Lleida, gaining behind-the-scenes access to one of Spain’s leading mills and its state-of-the-art operational and sustainability practices. This optional tour provides rare, firsthand insight into the efficiencies and innovations underpinning competitive advantage in the European market.

Who will you meet?

The event attracts a diverse community spanning the full forest products ecosystem: pulp, paper, and tissue producers; converters and packaging manufacturers; recyclers; global traders; FMCG brands and end users; logistics providers; technology and equipment suppliers; consultants and analysts; policymakers and associations; and financial institutions. For sector professionals, it is a singular convergence point of intelligence, expertise, and industry-shaping perspectives.

Why you should attend

This year’s event goes beyond interpreting current market signals — it defines the roadmap for what comes next. With Europe at a pivotal juncture across regulation, competitiveness, consumer behaviour, and global trade dynamics, the Fastmarkets Forest Products Europe Conference 2026 stands out as a vital forum for understanding the sector’s future and positioning for success.

Register now

Join the benchmark event for Europe’s Forest Products industry from March 9-11, 2026: https://www.fastmarkets.com/events/fastmarkets-forest-products-europe-conference/
Act now to secure your spot and use PSG15 for 15% off.