LISBON, Portugal – Fabio Dalla Giovanna, newly elected president of the Independent Union of the European Lubricants Industry, says his experience leading the organizations rerefining section will help him negotiate the numerous challenges facing UEIL.
Uppermost in his mind is maintaining UEILs lobbying efforts to impact industry-related legislation proposed by European Union institutions.
The lubricants industry is becoming more and more present in the political arena, Dalla Giovanna said during an October interview at UEILs Annual Congress, held in Lisbon, Portugal. He cited three major areas of concern for lube manufacturers – taxation, competition and automotive legislation.
In terms of lobbying, Dalla Giovanna said his dream is to see a harmonized legal system in Europe. Today the different member states have legislation that, although in a common European framework, is often disaggregated and implemented in different ways.
Specifically, he identified UEILs lobbying for review of the energy taxation directive, on a proposal to include lubes under the Excise Movement and Control System, on antitrust rules in the motor vehicle sector, on the Commissions new CARS 2020 Action Plan and on the review of REACH (the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals regulation).
The automotive industry in Europe faces a number of challenges, he said, noting that new car sales declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2012 and are not expected to recover until 2014 or 2015. Hailing the adoption of the Cars 21 action plan, he said it is important to focus on the delivery of more affordable, more sustainable and safer mobility, as well as providing an open and fair market to support consumers.
Dalla Giovana, who is director of technology at Italian rerefiner Viscol-ube Srl., said UEIL will continue lobbying to strengthen and protect the lubricant industrys position in Europe. Such encounters with advisors of key decision-makers will continue to happen, in order to ensure the concerns of the lubricants industry are heard and taken into account, he said. Working on the basis of a level playing field, Im sure that the voice of the lubricants industry will be increasingly heard by stakeholders and public institutions.
Dalla Giovanna was elected UEIL president at the congress in Lisbon and succeeds jos jong. Since 2008 Dalla Giovanna served as president of GEIR (UEILs European Rerefining Industry Section), and he cited the sections efforts on the 2008 Waste Framework Directive, REACH regulations, the Processed Fuel Oil protocol for the United Kingdom, end of waste criteria, Green Public Procurement and the EU Ecolabel initiative.
As a mechanical engineer what appeals to me most about the lubricant industry is the ongoing development of lubricant application sectors, such as car engines, that lubricating oils must comply with in order to satisfy the OEMs requirements in terms of performance, such as lubricating properties, lower friction and therefore lower fuel consumption, lower evaporation losses and lower emission levels to protect the catalytic after-treatment devices, Dalla Giovanna said.
He said that past presidents like jong and Hugh Dowding have contributed greatly to develop UEIL in a Brussels perspective. I mean to bring UEIL to Brussels with a more global European view. jos provided strong leadership at a very important, challenging time. I will strive to do the same, he told delegates at the congress.
One of my first tasks will be surely to follow up on the activities started by my predecessors, Dalla Giovanna told LubesnGreases, adding that since the Lisbon congress named some younger representatives to the board, I expect to benefit from new fresh ideas for improving association services.
He said he would also like to strengthen cooperation with other industry associations, particularly with the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association in the United States, and exchange experiences, market perspectives and information on technical and legislative issues.