On January 27, 2023, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and the European Commission published the first transition pathway for the EU’s manufacturing sectors. It describes how the chemical industry will develop to reach the binding European Green Deal (FPF reported) and digital transition goals for 2030 and 2050. “The Chemical Industry Transition Pathway puts in place nearly 200 actions for industry, EU institutions, Member States, trade unions and other stakeholders to help industry transform.” Actions are divided into 26 topics that can be grouped broadly under the themes of collaboration for innovation, clean energy supply, and feedstock diversification.
The European chemical industry is the second largest chemicals producer in the world and the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the EU. It provides chemical feedstock for most other industries across the EU. Therefore, improvements on the efficiency and sustainability of chemicals production and recycling will pay dividends down the supply chain.
The roadmap is an overview of the many binding goals adopted by the EU, regulatory changes planned over the next few years, and where these overlap with the actions of the chemicals industry. It includes timelines of EU goals, the specific clauses that apply to chemicals, and how the almost 200 actions developed by industry stakeholders fit into the broader European and global supply chain. Altogether, the report provides a picture of the many balls being juggled within the EU to address the concerns of safety, sustainability, resilience, and other pressing concerns.
The transition pathway was “co-developed by the European Commission with EU countries, chemical industry stakeholders, NGOs and other interested parties” but European civil society organization ChemTrust cautions that “the Transition Pathway can only deliver if the new REACH is in place to provide direction.” Revision of the signature European chemicals legislation has been delayed in recent months.
Cefic and the European Commission are now working to distribute the roadmap “to all relevant stakeholders, who would then present their commitments specifying the actions and topics to which they will contribute to.” Implementation is expected to begin in spring 2023.
References
Cefic (January , 2023). “The EU chemical industry transition pathway.”
European Commission (January 27, 2023). “Transition pathway for the chemical industry.”
