France and Allies Call for EU Critical Chemicals Act to Enhance Production Competitiveness
A coalition of European nations advocates for a dedicated legislative framework to support the chemical industry amid rising global competition.
A group of eight countries, led by France, has called for the European Union to establish a "Critical Chemicals Act" aimed at bolstering the competitiveness of the chemical industry in Europe.
This joint recommendation was issued ahead of the Competitiveness Council meeting of European ministers scheduled for 12 March in Brussels.
The coalition, which includes the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain, asserts that the chemical sector is currently experiencing a significant crisis related to competitiveness.
According to the document, the challenges facing the industry stem from heightened energy and raw material costs, coupled with fierce and often unfair competition from outside the EU. The proposal emphasizes the importance of creating a framework that identifies approximately 15 essential chemical molecules deemed vital for supporting various strategic value chains in Europe.
These key molecules, which are essential across several industries, encompass petrochemicals, organic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, automotive production, electronics, battery manufacturing, and agriculture.
The coalition argues that by categorizing these molecules, the EU can prioritize their production domestically, thus reducing dependency on foreign suppliers.
To facilitate this goal, the proposed legislation would offer targeted support to ensure that the specified molecules are produced within EU borders.
Additionally, there is a recommendation to alleviate energy costs for producers of electro-intensive and strategic chemicals by compensating for the indirect carbon dioxide costs included in their electricity bills, aiming to create a more favorable production environment in Europe.
This joint recommendation was issued ahead of the Competitiveness Council meeting of European ministers scheduled for 12 March in Brussels.
The coalition, which includes the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain, asserts that the chemical sector is currently experiencing a significant crisis related to competitiveness.
According to the document, the challenges facing the industry stem from heightened energy and raw material costs, coupled with fierce and often unfair competition from outside the EU. The proposal emphasizes the importance of creating a framework that identifies approximately 15 essential chemical molecules deemed vital for supporting various strategic value chains in Europe.
These key molecules, which are essential across several industries, encompass petrochemicals, organic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, automotive production, electronics, battery manufacturing, and agriculture.
The coalition argues that by categorizing these molecules, the EU can prioritize their production domestically, thus reducing dependency on foreign suppliers.
To facilitate this goal, the proposed legislation would offer targeted support to ensure that the specified molecules are produced within EU borders.
Additionally, there is a recommendation to alleviate energy costs for producers of electro-intensive and strategic chemicals by compensating for the indirect carbon dioxide costs included in their electricity bills, aiming to create a more favorable production environment in Europe.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
