The tangages in France plan to stop the decline of the chemical industry of the EU – Politico

The idea is to protect the sector to ensure that Europe remains self -sufficient in the chemicals used in everything, from the production of fertilizers to the manufacture of plastics.

France, a first producer of world chemicals, warns that the sector faces a “major crisis”, citing a 12% drop in production between 2019 and 2023, which it blame on the increase in energy costs and “Faithful or even unfair competition from UEU not. “”

“Regarding petrochemicals alone, by 2035, approximately 20 steam crackers can be closed, affecting 50,000 jobs, if no collective measure is taken”, reads the proposal project obtained by Politico.

The “Critical Chemicals Act” would identify 15 molecules as “strategic”, “ bring them under A label of EU “strategic project” to allow access to financing. The idea borrows from the critical law on raw materials – under which “strategic projects” can benefit from faster authorization and additional financing procedures – and the critical drug law.

These “strategic” molecules must be the constituent elements of other industries, with substances such as ammonia and methanol supporting agriculture and energy, and ethylene, propylene, butadiene and benzene at the service of the petrochemical industry.

France is the second producer of chemicals in Europe with a turnover of 108.5 billion euros in 2023, according to the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC). Europe is the second largest chemical producer in the world after China.