Gypsum is the mineral basis for high-quality construction products such as plaster and plasterboard, found in buildings across Europe. Gypsum-based solutions are essential for energy-efficient renovations, contributing to Europe's climate neutrality objectives and affordable housing. The mineral is locally sourced in over 200 quarries across Europe, minimising transport distances to nearby processing facilities.
While extraction has an impact on the local landscape, this can be minimised through protection, recultivation and renaturation measures during and after a quarry's operation. The European gypsum industry is firmly committed to the objectives of the Birds and Habitats Directives, commonly know as Nature Directives, and works with scientific and non-governmental organisations to ensure protective measures are as effective as possible.
The European Commission's current stress test of the Directives is an opportunity to make them more effective through targeted administrative improvements and guidance documents, enhancing the protection of birds, animals and habitats while remaining compatible with non-energy extractive activities, without substantially revising the Directives.
Our recommendations
- Compatibility of quarrying in Natura 2000 sites – Emphasise the compatibility of sustainable quarrying projects; decisions should be based on the individual project application.
- Recognise temporary nature – Introduce flexible derogation rules for dynamic extraction sites and provide clear guidance on the recognition and assessment of temporary habitats.
- Streamline environmental impact assessments – Request all relevant assessments at the outset of permitting, and swiftly adopt the Environmental Omnibus simplifications, including one-stop shops.
- Better data for authorities – Enable regulatory authorities to access high-quality, public and correct data on flora and fauna when assessing project applications.
The European gypsum sector is convinced that nature conservation and raw material extraction are not mutually exclusive: they can and must be considered together.
