On 11 March 2024, eight EU countries (France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia) published a joint statement highlighting the urgent need to support the European chemicals industry, a strategic sector facing increasing challenges. The statement calls for a dedicated EU Critical Chemicals Act to strengthen Europe’s production capacity and reduce reliance on third-country imports.
The signatories identify key concerns, including:
🔵 High energy costs and global competition, putting pressure on European producers.
🔵 The need for industrial decarbonisation, ensuring long-term sustainability.
🔵 The importance of securing access to critical chemicals, such as strategic amino-acids, ethylene, butadiene, benzene, sodium carbonates, propylene or methanol.
The statement makes explicit references to the role of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) in achieving these objectives, underlining that:
🟢 CCU can provide alternative carbon feedstocks, reducing dependence on fossil fuels imports.
🟢 Low-carbon molecules should be considered strategic, ensuring sustainable growth in the sector.
🟢 Targeted policy measures are needed to maintain and modernise European production facilities.
As a CCU community, we strongly support this initiative and welcome its recognition of CO₂ utilisation as a key solution. We look forward to engaging with EU policymakers to ensure that these priorities are reflected in future legislation.
Read the joint statement here.
