The European Parquet Federation (FEP) held its 70th General Assembly (GA) and 50th Parquet Congress earlier this month in Madrid, gathering more than 90 members from across Europe to review market developments, assess ongoing policy initiatives, and define strategic priorities for the sector.
Lorenzo Onofri, chairman of FEP, said during his opening speech: “Reaching a seventieth edition is much more than a symbolic milestone. We celebrate this remarkable history with pride. But we also gather with a clear awareness of our responsibility: the responsibility to preserve, develop, and pass on a strong and competitive industry to future generations. The challenges before us are significant.”
Dan Natkin, CEO of Essex Coatings and member of the NWFA Board of Directors, spoke at the GA about the state of the North American wood flooring market. “It was an honor to represent the NWFA at the FEP Congress. Our presentation was very well received and only served to strengthen the bond between our two organizations,” said Natkin. “We share a lot of the same challenges – slow building and renovation markets, pressure from imitation products, and consumers who have been sold on the myth of waterproof floors. Working together, I think we can overcome many of these challenges.”
Market Stabilization with Early Signs of Recovery
The latest FEP statistics presented at the GA confirm that the European parquet market is beginning to stabilize after a difficult period. Following a sharp downturn in 2023 and a further decline in 2024, production in FEP countries increased by 5.87 percent in 2025, reaching nearly 59 million m2, which is still a historically low level (see the executive summary of the FEP Statistics Report 2025).
At the same time, consumption remained broadly flat at around 60.2 million m2 (-0.98 percent), reflecting a still fragile demand environment. The market recovery is uneven, supported by reduced direct imports from China due to the anti-dumping measures, shy improvements in construction and renovation activity, and continued strong position of parquet as a sustainable, bio-based material.
However, the sector continues to face significant challenges, including high energy and raw material costs, geopolitical uncertainties, and persistent competition from low-priced imports both from China and new countries of origin.
Strong EU Advocacy and Industry Positioning
The GA highlighted FEP’s active engagement at European level, particularly in a shifting policy landscape which tries to balance competitiveness, resilience, and decarbonisation.
Key developments include:
- Contribution to major EU initiatives, supporting industrial capacity and low-carbon materials.
- Continued advocacy on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), including its postponed implementation and simplification efforts.
- Active involvement in leading coalitions, including Wood4Real which aims at promoting the right use of the term “wood” or of a wood specie.
Trade Defense and Fair Competition
A major milestone for the sector has been the implementation of definitive anti-dumping duties on multilayer wood flooring from China (21.3 percent – 36.1 percent), applicable for at least five years.
These measures have temporarily contributed to stabilizing the market by addressing unfair pricing practices, although vigilance remains necessary to prolong this impact (including through an anti-absorption investigation recently initiated by the EU Commission) and detect potential circumvention. At the same time, ongoing trade tensions – particularly between the EU and the U.S. – continue to create uncertainty for exporters and require close monitoring.
Looking Ahead
Despite ongoing challenges, the outlook for the parquet sector shows cautious optimism. The role of wood flooring in low-carbon construction, circularity, and sustainable buildings positions the industry well for future growth.
The 71st FEP GA and 51st Parquet Congress will take place June 10-11, 2027, in Split, Croatia.