CEFIC calls for EU recovery plan

Ahead of the European Council meeting on 17 July, CEFIC called on EU member states “to urgently agree an EU Recovery Plan to restart Europe’s economy and kick off investments towards a green and digital transition”.

According to the association, COVID-19 has been “a timely reminder that Europe needs its own robust industrial capacity” and such a plan could turn the crisis into “an opportunity to build a more resilient European economy whilst delivering on the European Green Deal objectives”. The chemicals industry will be critical to this.

To keep EU industry competitive through the green transition, said Marco Mensink, director general of CEFIC (above), the plan “must be accompanied by a strong Industrial Strategy based on the European Green Deal vision … It also means the upcoming Chemical Strategy for Sustainability needs to be assessed in full on its impact on the EU chemical industry.”

In particular, CEFIC called for investments into building renovation, clean mobility, the development of all forms of clean hydrogen and chemical recycling, and carbon capture and storage/utilisation. It also welcomed welcome the new EU4Health programme that supports the relaunch of API production in the EU, among other things.