Entrepreneurs Forum: Aggregates Europe, Eurogypsum and Euromines join forces with Cypriot and Greek associations to raise awareness about the need for raw materials
On 28 May 2026, the Entrepreneurs Forum took place in Larnaca, in Cyprus. The event, entitled "Why Do We Need Minerals?", was held under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU and co-organised by Aggregates Europe, Euromines and Eurogypsum, as well as the Cyprus Quarries Association and the Greek Mining Enterprises Association.
A relevant debate at European and national level
The Forum brought together over 150 participants from 20 countries. Due to its geological history, Cyprus is rich in natural resources, and their extraction is of great importance. The event, which was opened by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Maria Panayiotou, highlighted the European and national perspectives on raw materials policy.
The following panel, which was co-moderated by Eurogypsum’s Secretary General Tristan Suffys, discussed the strategic importance of domestically sourced minerals for Europe’s resilience as well as the green and digital transition.
Christoph Dorn, Eurogypsum’s Vice-President, participated in the final panel, drawing the conclusions of the event: After addressing the question of “Why do we need raw materials?”, the next step must be to examine the question of “How can we secure the access to raw materials in Europe?”.
Gypsum in Cyprus
During their visit to Cyprus, the Eurogypsum delegation was able to visit the gypsum quarry managed by Latouros Gypsum Ltd., one of Eurogypsum’s members. On this opportunity, Eurogypsum inaugurated the association’s biodiversity posters for the first time in Cyprus.
A high-level exchange with the President of Cyprus
In the margins of the Entrepreneurs Forum, Eurogypsum’s Secretary General also had the honour to meet H.E. Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, and Maria Panayiotou, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. Tristan Suffys presented the important role gypsum can play in solving Europe's housing supply crisis, as well as the efforts made by the sector to promote the closed-loop recycling of plasterboard. However, the recycled waste volumes will not be sufficient to cover the demand for gypsum. A stable and long-term access to domestic gypsum resources must be secured to reach Europe's political and societal objectives.
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