Cefic launches its competitiveness study, emphasizing the urgent need for reforms to sustain the EU chemical industry amid rising global competition.
“Lowering energy costs, ensuring access to critical raw materials, and fostering innovation are absolutely critical.”, says Marco Mensink, Cefic’s Director General. “If our industry falls, entire value chains fall with it: healthcare, automotive, renewable energy, and the breakthrough Green Deal technologies that are essential for the transition. We say it again, louder and clearer: for the future of Europe, we need our new EU decision makers to act now!”
The competitiveness report, commissioned by Cefic to Advancy, underlines the critical state of the European chemical industry, with over 11 million tons of capacity closures announced for 2023-2024 across 21 major sites. Comparing Europe with the US, China, Japan, and others, the study identifies cost factors (high energy and environmental costs) and non-cost drivers (regulatory and administrative barriers) as key challenges undermining the industry’s global standing. Without bold policy interventions to address these factors, delays in innovation, and investments moving outside Europe risk jeopardizing the future viability of the sector.
The report supports the Antwerp Declaration with a wealth of data and comparative illustrations.
- Report: The Competitiveness of the European Chemical Industry, CEFIC & Advancy, January 2025. (accessed January 10, 2025)
Also of Interest
European Industrial Deal
Antwerp Declaration—Industry Leaders’ Agenda for European Competitiveness
