PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) products are essential to Europe’s construction and infrastructure landscape. Widely used in applications such as window frames, flooring, cables, and piping systems, PVC delivers high-performance, cost-effective, and low-maintenance solutions that meet the technical demands of modern housing. Its insulation properties also contribute significantly to the energy efficiency of buildings.
With 70% of PVC products used in building and construction, and over 80% of these produced in Europe, the PVC value chain is deeply embedded in the EU’s industrial fabric. PVC products are not only durable and affordable, but also scalable and circular, satisfying all three pillars of sustainability. They are manufactured locally, have strong environmental performance, and support long-lasting, low-maintenance infrastructure.
The VinylPlus sustainability certifications called VinylPlus® Product Label for PVC products, and VinylPlus® Supplier Certificates for PVC additives suppliers and PVC compounders, manage a multi-criteria, third-party sustainability certification scheme open to any PVC building and construction products and their additives.
PVC delivers high-performance, cost-effective, and low-maintenance solutions that meet the technical demands of modern housing
However, to fully unlock PVC’s potential in addressing Europe’s housing and construction challenges, policy action is urgently needed. The European construction sector remains relatively stalled, and outdated or inconsistent regulatory frameworks are creating investment risks and barriers to innovation and recycling.
VinylPlus® is the European PVC industry's commitment to sustainable development. We represent the entire PVC value chain established in the EU, from monomer production to recycling. We call on EU policymakers to consider the following:
• Remove outdated or discriminatory regulatory barriers.
• Establish a coherent framework that supports innovation, recycling, and cross-border deployment of circular construction solutions.
• Address investment risks to enable long-term planning and industrial autonomy.
With 70% of PVC products used in building and construction, and over 80% of these produced in Europe, the PVC value chain is deeply embedded in the EU’s industrial fabric
The European PVC value chain offers a unique contribution to the Affordable Housing agenda, delivering hygiene, safety (including fire and chemical exposure protection), and sustainability through resource-efficient production and strategic industrial autonomy.
VinylPlus stands ready to support European authorities in all housing and construction-related initiatives, including the anticipated secondary legislation of the Construction Products Regulation, the Affordable Housing Plan, and related public procurement and State aid mechanisms.
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