08-07-2025
EU Pledges State Aid, Trade Tools to Boost Chemicals Industry
The European Union pledged to use its trade defense powers and state aid measures to shield the continent's chemicals makers from high energy costs and intensifying US and Chinese competition — a sign of the strain that one of the bloc's most important industries is under.
The European Commission announced a strategy on Tuesday that would involve identifying critical chemicals at risk from what the bloc's members deem unfair competition and setting up critical production sites to attract investment. Along with national governments, the bloc's regulatory arm has been under pressure from the industry to prevent plant closures, eliminate investment barriers and ease regulatory pressure.
