Page 150 - CW E-Magazine (5-3-2024)

News from Abroad

SEEKING SUPPORT
Cefic leads EU industry call for action to restore

competitiveness

The European Chemical Industry concrete actions, including integrating capture storage and utilisation projects
Council (Cefic) along with European the EU Industrial Deal into the broader and recycling infrastructures, to in-
corporate leaders of around 70 compa- ‘European strategic agenda’, stream- crease domestic mining and processing
nies from diverse sectors like pharma- lining legislation, and simplifying the of raw materials. The declaration des-
ceuticals, paper, steel, mining, and “State Aid framework”. cribed Europe’s single market as “an
aluminium, came together on February 20 asset to be leveraged and revived” for
to launch the ‘Antwerp Declaration for “The action plan needs to include the growth of the region. The declara-
a European Industrial Deal’ stressing actions to eliminate regulatory inco- tion touted the need for a future com-
“urgent industry needs” for “clarity and herence, conflicting objectives, unnece- missioner responsible for the delivery
predictability” in EU’s industrial policy ssary complexity in legislation and of a ‘European Industrial Deal’.
to make Europe “competitive, resilient, over reporting. We ask to develop an
and sustainable in the face of dire Omnibus proposal to take corrective Dr. Martin Brudermüller, BASF
economic conditions.” measures on all relevant existing EU chief and Cefic’s President, described
regulations as the first piece of legis- the struggle faced by “basic indus-
European Commission President, lation to be presented in the next EU tries”, saying demand is declining, in-
Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, and Belgian institutional cycle,” the document stated. vestments in Europe are stalling and
Prime Minister, Mr. Alexander de Croo, production has dropped significantly,
were among EU leaders who joined the It also called to transform Europe threatening the existence of manufac-
corporate leaders at BASF’s huge com- into “a global leader in providing abun- turing sites.
plex near Antwerp (Belgium) as they dant and affordable low-carbon energy”.
set out their demands for a more busi- The energy, said the declaration, “We urgently need decisive action
ness-friendly EU industrial policy. should be supplied through “strategic to create the conditions for a stronger
partnerships and robust infrastructure, business case in Europe. ‘The Antwerp
The declaration urged the EU execu- besides a stronger support for EU pro- Declaration’ outlines a pathway ahead.
tive to put industry at the core of the jects.” This is the only way to show the rest of
next commission’s strategic agenda to the world that the Green Deal works for
secure investment within the bloc and The declaration also called for all,” said Dr. Brudermüller.
to keep up with cleantech production “strong public funding” for cleantech
from China and the US. To overcome deployment. Corporate chiefs also Ineos’ warning
challenges, the declaration outlined 10 called for targeted financing for carbon Meanwhile in a letter to President of

150 Chemical Weekly March 5, 2024

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised