Non-reimbursable EU funds, in the next 4 years, will be oriented towards adapting to sustainability standards

Reducing carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030 is the challenge that the European Union (EU) has set itself, to meet its total goal, which is to be the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050.

In the process, the bloc, whose current emissions represent only 8% of global emissions, promotes the transformation of its production mechanisms, but also those of consumption, thus including all its trading partners that export their products to the EU. , including Ecuador, as indicated this Wednesday Charles-Michel Geurts, EU Ambassador to Ecuador, during the XIII Exporters Convention.

For this, according to Geurts, the EU implements policies to generate in partner countries, such as Ecuador, a march towards the sustainability of production, while anticipating that there will be changes in bilateral relations to achieve this objective, such as orienting support to its commercial partners to the adaptation of the producers to the change of European standards.

‘80% of the EU’s exports to Ecuador are capital goods and supplies that feed the productive sector,’ says the bloc’s delegate in the country

He revealed that the new bilateral programming of non-reimbursable funds for the next four years will be based on three axes. The first will be to take advantage of the trade agreement as a tool for sustainable development.

“The current challenge is to move from a successful commercial relationship for the emblematic export sectors of Ecuador: bananas, tuna, shrimp, flowers, cocoa, towards diversification,” explained the European representative, who assured that in the last 30 years the bloc reduced their carbon footprint between 20% and 25%, but they must achieve the same result in just ten years.

The EU is the second commercial destination for Ecuadorian non-oil exports, which from January to September grew 14% compared to the same period in 2020, according to figures from the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor).

Geurts explained that the EU supports value chains through projects such as Green Circular, a program implemented by Fedexpor to apply the circular economy in companies, which in turn are the second axis for the implementation of non-reimbursable cooperation funds from the next years. While the third axis is the training of public institutions.

“It means a great coherence between the internal efforts of the EU to be the first carbon neutral continent, the evolution of the standards that exporters must comply with and also the focus of the EU financial support on the issue of sustainable development and production, consumption. and sustainable export, through non-reimbursable funds, but also through loans and investments at very interesting conditions from the European Investment Bank and other European banks such as AFD, the French Development Agency ”, revealed the ambassador, who said that representatives of the European Investment Bank are visiting the country to meet with the Ministry of Economy and Finance on financing green projects.

For its part, Felipe Ribadeneira, Chairman of the Board of Fedexpor, organizer of the event, recognized that the export sector has great challenges, but also opportunities regarding sustainability.

“The world has made a call to us, with the pandemic the world changed, there must be a balance between sustainability and productive development and that is what we have to look for, consumers at the international level are analyzing that a lot, that is, the history of a product ”, explained Ribadeneira, who used the Green Circular program as an example, which assured that it is not perceived as an extra cost for companies, but as a tool to increase their productivity and at the same time be sustainable with the environment .

Regarding the measures presented by the EU ambassador, Ribadeneira assured that Ecuadorian products have many components that already meet the EU’s expectations, although he warned that looking for carbon neutral is a long-term issue, although he recognized that it is necessary to start, as it is a component that the markets will begin to demand.

PremioeXport returns to recognize the resilience of exporting companies in the face of the pandemic

“Yes you have to start working, but deadlines cannot also be set overnight, here you have to clearly discuss what the reality of companies is because not all companies have the ability to transform from one day to the next That would be unrealistic to say, but to start working in the future, I believe that the world trend of the productive trend is heading that way ”, said the president of Fedexpor.

Meanwhile, the Convention will close this Thursday, November 25 with eXport award, a gala in which the efforts of Ecuadorian exporting companies will be recognized in the face of the complicated economic situation generated by the pandemic. (I)