IV Voluntary Agreement Signed Between the Government of Catalonia and Ciment Català to Promote the Sector’s Transition Towards a Circular and Climate-Neutral Economy

The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of Catalonia (Ciment Català) and the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition of the Government of Catalonia signed on July 29 the IV Voluntary Agreement for the efficient use of resources and the transition towards a Circular and Climate-Neutral Economy in the Catalan cement industry. The objective of this new agreement is to establish a framework of collaboration between the Catalan government and the sector’s employers’ association to promote measures that enable the decarbonisation of cement manufacturing companies—particularly through the implementation of waste co-processing and the industry’s Roadmap to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The IV Voluntary Agreement will support the development of technical and economic studies on the interaction between the cement industry and the environment. It also lays the groundwork for evaluating the administrative procedures affecting affiliated companies to identify key bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. Lastly, the agreement includes collaboration to enhance the dissemination of information regarding the environmental impact of cement plants located in Catalonia.

The agreement was signed by Jordi Sargatal i Vicens, Secretary for Ecological Transition at the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, and Salvador Fernández Capo, President of Ciment Català. The agreement is valid for four years and may be extended for an additional four years if both parties so agree.

Voluntary Agreements are a tool for progress based on collaboration between environmental authorities (the Government of Catalonia, in this case) and companies, aligned with the environmental policies of the European Union. In this context, the first collaboration agreement between the two parties was signed on March 1, 2002. After its extension, it was replaced by the second agreement, signed on December 15, 2011. The third Voluntary Agreement, extended until 2025, was signed on July 6, 2017 and included up to 48 specific actions for the prevention, reduction, and control of pollution.