EPAL Board has confirmed the re-election of the Vice-Presidents in office for another three years

 Thursday, October 30, 2025

The European Pallet Association (EPAL), the global organisation in charge of setting up the biggest open exchange pool for the EPAL Euro pallet in the world, has made a big decision to maintain strategic direction and leadership stability during a time of unprecedented regulatory change in Europe. Following the re-election of Presidents Dirk Hoferer and Jarek Maciążek in June 2025, the EPAL Board has now confirmed the three sitting Vice-Presidents for a renewed term of three years. This decision secures the continuity of the EPAL Presidium, which is comprised of the Presidents and the three Vice-Presidents: Tatyana Sargsyan (representing EPAL Baltic States), Jean-Philippe Gaussorgues (EPAL France), and Davide Dellavalle (EPAL Italia).

The confirmation of this international leadership team underscores EPAL’s commitment to leveraging a diverse range of regional expertise to manage the complexities of a globally interconnected logistics network. With representatives from key European regions, the Presidium is well-positioned to ensure that the EPAL pallet pool—a cornerstone of industrial and retail supply chains—continues to operate under uniform international standards. The collective experience of the leaders is crucial for supporting the daily operational and strategic work of the association.

The renewed mandate for the Vice-Presidents comes at a pivotal time for the pallet and logistics industry, coinciding with the imminent implementation and drafting of major European Union legislative acts. The Presidium’s new term will be dominated by the practical application of regulations that carry substantial implications for the over 1,700 EPAL producers, repair companies, and the vast number of EPAL pallet users across industry and trade.

Focus on the EUDR and PPWR                                                        

Two regulations, in particular, are at the forefront of the industry’s focus: the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

• The EUDR aims to ensure that products placed on the EU market do not contribute to global deforestation or forest degradation. While initial industry guidance suggests that exchangeable wooden pallets, once used, are considered packaging material used exclusively as packaging material and therefore potentially outside the strictest due diligence scope for every single shipment, EPAL’s producers must ensure that the virgin timber for their pallets is sourced legally and sustainably. Tatyana Sargsyan, Vice-President of EPAL, highlighted the necessity for consistency: “In view of the increasing internationality of supply chains and logistics processes, EPAL must continue to develop uniform international standards for users of EPAL pallets… taking into account the situation in all EPAL countries.” This echoes the need for the EPAL system to maintain its high bar for quality and sustainable sourcing to provide confidence and compliance to its users.
• The PPWR is set to fundamentally reshape the packaging landscape by promoting reusability and recyclability. The EPAL Euro pallet exchange pool, having operated on principles of reuse, repair, and recycling for over three decades, is inherently aligned with the PPWR’s objectives and is often cited as a prime example of a functioning circular economy system. However, the regulation’s finer points, such as minimum rotation requirements for reusable packaging and clearer definitions of ‘producer’ responsibility, require proactive engagement. Jean-Philippe Gaussorgues, Vice-President of EPAL, stressed this responsibility: “The re-election… is associated with the responsibility of finding the right solutions for the EPAL pallet pool in economically challenging times.” He pointed out that the many European legislative initiatives make internationally uniform solutions critical, a core strength of EPAL’s structure.

Beyond the immediate regulatory pressures, the Presidium will also be preparing for the drafts of the EU Circular Economy Act and the EU Bioeconomy Strategy. These forthcoming policies are expected to further solidify the EU’s move toward a resource-efficient, low-waste economy. For a naturally sustainable product like the wooden EPAL pallet—which stores CO2 and supports continuous reuse—these legislative developments represent a strategic opportunity to reinforce its position as a preferred, low-carbon logistics solution.

The leadership’s role is not confined to internal governance; a major part of their function is external representation. The Presidium, in conjunction with the Presidents, acts as the unified voice for the interests of EPAL’s vast network of users, producers, and repair companies.

In particular, the complexity of the PPWR has intensified the need for dialogue. Davide Dellavalle, Vice-President of EPAL, emphasised the importance of this outreach: “EPAL’s presence in all important national and international committees and cooperation with other associations and stakeholders is enormously important in preparing the EPAL pallet pool for the future.” This preparation involves active engagement with national and international authorities, as well as cooperation with other industry associations, to ensure the pallet exchange pool remains efficient, compliant, and future-proof.

The structure of the EPAL Presidium, drawing knowledge from various regional EPAL national committees (Baltic States, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, etc.), is a crucial asset in this effort. It ensures that legislative interpretation and subsequent policy implementation are practical and executable across a diverse range of European markets. The continued success of the EPAL system relies on this agile, large-scale, and internationally representative team to respond effectively to the changing economic and regulatory tides.

The re-confirmation of Sargsyan, Gaussorgues, and Dellavalle solidifies a strong, experienced, and regionally diverse leadership core, ready to guide the EPAL pallet pool through its next critical phase of integrating ambitious European sustainability and circular economy goals.

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Tags: circular economy, epal, EUDR, euro pallet, European Regulations, logistics, pallet industry, Pallet Pool