The first meeting of the strategic dialogue between the European Commission and the chemical industry associations took place on 12 May 2025. The initiative aims to jointly identify priority measures supporting the competitiveness of the European chemicals industry, while also promoting sustainability, security, and safety. The chemical industry is often referred to as “the industry of the industries”, playing a central role in the availability of many raw materials used by other downstream industrial sectors. It employs over 1 million people in the EU.
President von der Leyen underlined the importance of the Clean Industrial Deal and the need to focus on four key pillars: mitigating high energy costs; improving access to capital; addressing the skills gap; and simplification. She also highlighted the importance of diversifying supply chains. An Action Plan for the chemical sector is expected by the summer, followed by a sector-specific Omnibus, and Chemicals Industry Package by the end of the year. Representatives of the chemical industry called for the swift implementation of the Competitiveness Compass, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the Affordable Energy Action Plan.