Latest news with #Wüst
Euractiv
02-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Europe's chemical powerhouse tells Brussels to go easy on new regulations
North Rhine-Westphalia, one of the EU's industrial heartlands and Germany's most populous state, is demanding special consideration for its chemicals industry ahead of key regulatory overhauls in Brussels. With some 18 million residents, the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is not only larger than most EU countries, but also by itself the sixth-largest economy in Europe and a major hub for the chemical industry. It's state capital Düsseldorf is using that heft now. 'There are not many industrial centres this strong,' said Christian Democrat Hendrik Wüst, who governs the state, on a visit to Brussels on Wednesday. 'Our economic power in North Rhine-Westphalia is 20% above the EU average," he told reporters. Wüst, a leading candidate to succeed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, came to Brussels to demand 'level-headed chemicals policy,' according to an eight-page list of demands he brought along, seen by Euractiv. The chemicals sector especially plays a key role in his state, Wüst said. Among his eleven-company-strong delegation were four chemical companies: polymer-producer Covestro, speciality chemical leader Evonik, adhesives giant Henkel and intermediates producer Lanxess. Not part of the visit but also home in NRW is pharmaceutical giant Bayer. 'The design of chemical policy and revision of REACH are of great relevance to not only the sector but the entire industry,' the document said, further stating that t he EU should sense-check industrial emissions rules and the urban wastewater directive – while making it easier to get construction permits. 'Planning and approval procedures (especially in environmental law) must be accelerated massively and decisively,' Wüst's demands close. The EU executive is expected to present a chemicals package next week. German chemical players have long pushed to delay the reform of the EU's flagship chemical rulebook REACH. Kjeld Neubert contributed reporting. (vib)
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German conservatives want 'democratic' alliance after historic vote
Leading members of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) on Thursday demanded a broad alliance against the Alternative for Germany (AfD), one day after a historic motion on migration policy passed in parliament with the backing of the far-right party. Hendrik Wüst, the premier of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, denounced the AfD in a speech in Dusseldorf and said that "the major problems of our time must be solved from the democratic centre." The AfD "is misanthropic, it is racist in parts, it is anti-European," said Wüst, who leads Germany's most populous state. On Wednesday, the CDU relied on support from the AfD to narrowly pass its non-binding five-point plan for a tougher migration policy through the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament. The move was extremely controversial, marking the first time the AfD have been relied upon to form a majority for legislation. Another vote on a CDU-backed package of migration policies is expected in parliament on Friday with concrete measures aimed at cracking down on asylum-seekers entering the country. The AfD and two minor parties have signalled they will support the bill. Wüst did not address the votes directly, but said that Germans are worried about crime and migration and "it must not happen that only the right-wing fringe provides the quick answers." The CDU premier of the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther, appealed explicitly to other established parties to back Friday's bill. "There is a broad majority in the population in favor of having clear rules when it comes to internal security and the enforcement of law and order," said Günther. "And it must be democrats who come to a common solution here." He called Wednesday's vote "bitter" and said that mainstream democratic politicians now have "a real historical responsibility to face."
