MOSCOW (MRC) -- Cefic has called on EU member states to agree urgently on a recovery plan to restart Europe’s economy and kick off investments toward a green and digital transition, said Chemweek.
The EU chemical industry is seeking investments in building renovation, clean mobility, the development of all forms of clean hydrogen, chemical recycling, and carbon capture and storage as well as carbon capture and utilization, Cefic says.
The main aim of Cefic's call for action, ahead of a European Council meeting on 17 July, is to provide a much-needed solution to the economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19, according to the strategic goals set out by the EU Green Deal, Cefic says. It is in line with the Council’s previous comments and announcements on the need for an EU recovery plan, in which the chemical industry should play a key role.
"Our priority is to go through the green transition while strengthening our production capacity in Europe. This will only be possible if the EU keeps its industries competitive throughout the transition. This is why the EU recovery plan must be accompanied by a strong industrial strategy based on the European Green Deal vision. This will ensure that the recovery funding supports a resilient industrial transformation. It also means the upcoming chemical strategy for sustainability needs to be assessed in full on its impact on the EU chemical industry," says Marco Mensink, director general at Cefic.
The Council has welcomed the new EU4Health program that supports the relaunch of the EU's production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and strengthens procurement of vital medicines, medical devices, and personal protective equipment, Cefic says.
EU4Health is a dedicated funding program for 2021-27 to build resilient health systems in the EU to equip it better for the future, the EU Commission says. The EU will invest EUR9.4 billion in tackling cross-border health threats, making medicines affordable, and strengthening health systems in the EU, the Commission says. It forms part of the EU’s ambition to create a European Health Union.
As it was written earlier, in 2017, SIBUR joined the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC). SIBUR has also become a member of the European Committee of Ethylene Producers and Technology Suppliers (EEPC, part of CEFIC). Membership in the Council allowed SIBUR to take part in the work of 93 sectoral groups on more than 120 petrochemical products, in 90 strategic groups working on issues of sustainable development, innovation, trade, energy and law in the field of petrochemicals.
As MRC informed earlier, Russia's output of chemical products rose by 4.4% year on year in May 2020 . Thus, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 5.4% in the first five months of 2020. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, polymers in primary form accounted for the greatest increase in the output in January-May. Production of benzene was 110,000 tonnes in May 2020, which equalled the figure a month earlier. Overall output of this product reached 615,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 1.7% year on year.
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