Enterprise Europe, Brussels, 25 February 2005 - The first ever conference on the European furniture industry took place in Brussels today. Participants discussed the key factors influencing the industry and examined strategies that could increase its competitiveness, enhance sustainability and ensure a high level of employment in the long term. They welcomed the new, more sector-oriented approach of EU industrial policy, but stressed that the efforts undertaken by industry need to be matched by improved access to world markets. The innovative capacity of the sector needs to be valorised; measures are needed to encourage the level of research, development and innovation.
The EU furniture industry accounts for about 40% of world furniture production. Around 130,000 companies, mostly SMEs, employ over 1 million people and with a turnover in excess of €100 billion. The furniture sector is a basic industry in most industrialised countries, representing between 2 and 4% of the production value of the manufacturing sector. Trade in furniture products has traditionally recorded a surplus. However, the situation changed dramatically in 2003 and 2004, and the figures now show a situation close to balance.
The conference was jointly organised by the Enterprise and Industry DG of the Commission, the Federation of European Furniture Manufacturers (UEA), and the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBW).