Jussi Pesonen will start his CEPI chairmanship on 1 January 2012. Barry Wiersum, Sappi, current CEPI chairman, will take the post of vice-chairman for the next two years.Jussi Pesonen states that EU needs a competitive forest fiber industry in order to meet its carbon neutrality goals. "The forest fiber industry is the leading producer of bioenergy and renewable wood based bio-products in Europé,” he says. ”European consumers are most definitely interested in seeing positive progress in substituting oil-based products with renewable and recyclable bio-products. Therefore European policy makers should ensure a competitive operating environment for this industry.”Pesonen mentions three examples of policy measures that directly affect competitiveness of the sector: "We need the continued carbon-leakage status for 2015-2020 to remain competitive. Also the EU Renewable Energy Policy, by subsidising biomass for energy use, threatens the supply of essential raw materials for our industry. At a regional level, the sulphur directive of marine fuels increases transport costs in Northern Europe to uncompetitive levels."Jussi Pesonen joined UPM in 1987 as a production engineer and was named President and CEO of UPM in January 2004. /AA