COM(2025) 530

EN EN

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Strasbourg, 8.7.2025

COM(2025) 530 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

A European Chemicals Industry Action Plan

1

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

A European Chemicals Industry Action Plan

1. INTRODUCTION

The chemical industry is the industry of the industries. As the EU’s fourth largest

manufacturing industry, it contributes to over 96% of manufactured goods, making it a

cornerstone of the EU’s industrial resilience and competitiveness. Chemicals are crucial

for a wide range of applications in strategic sectors such as defence, cleantech and digital.

Europe therefore needs to keep a strong chemicals industry. At the same time, the industry

needs to transition to a clean and circular economy model, embracing innovation,

strengthening its global competitiveness and ensuring the protection of human health and

environment.

Yet today, the sector also faces significant challenges that threaten its competitive position

and resilience. Its global market share has declined by over 50% since 2003, with other

regions, such as China, emerging as major players. High energy and feedstock prices,

geopolitical tensions, and low market demand have eroded the competitiveness of EU-

based producers, leading to declining production utilisation rates. The past two years

witnessed the announcement of closures of more than 20 major production sites1 in the

EU, including steam crackers and other upstream facilities used for producing fundamental

building blocks.

This Action Plan builds on the Competitiveness Compass2, the Clean Industrial Deal3 and

the Strategic Dialogue with the Chemical Industry, held by President von der Leyen on 12

May 2025. It sets out concrete measures to help secure the global competitiveness of the

European chemicals industry, to maintain a strong European production base and to

upgrade it through action in four key areas: 1) strengthening resilience: maintaining critical

production in EU and opening new markets and protecting the EU industry 2) securing

energy supply, supporting decarbonisation and shift towards clean and circular economy;

3) creating lead markets and promoting innovation; and 4) simplifying the regulatory

framework.

The Action Plan is accompanied by an Omnibus legislative proposal on chemicals4, to

simplify, for example, labelling requirements, as well as a delegated act on low-carbon

(1) It is estimated that these major sites account for 10 000 - 20 000 job losses.

(2) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic

and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - A Competitiveness Compass for the EU,

COM(2025) 30 final.

(3) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic

and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap

for competitiveness and decarbonisation, COM(2025) 85 final.

(4) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC)

No 1272/2008, (EC) No 1223/2009 and (EU) 2019/1009 as regards simplification of certain

requirements and procedures for chemical products, COM(2025) 531

2

hydrogen5. It is complemented by a proposal for the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

Basic Regulation 6, further simplifying the governance of the regulatory framework of

chemicals.

2. STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE

2.1. Maintaining critical production in the EU

The EU must maintain and upgrade its core chemical production capacity, to strengthen its

competitiveness and preserve its resilience. The primary building blocks, such as

petrochemicals, ammonia and chlorine are the foundation of numerous value chains, from

pharmaceuticals to batteries. Yet, the EU has lost at least 8-10% of its cracking capacity

over the last three years, with potential future closures bringing the total loss to more than

20% of the 2021 capacity. Most remaining EU crackers, concentrated in a few regions and

often integrated with oil refineries, are outdated, rely heavily on naphtha as a primary

feedstock, and are less efficient than their global competitors7.

These structural weaknesses are not limited to steam crackers. Other critical productions8

have faced widespread shutdowns, creating ripple effects on the whole chemical

ecosystem. This not only affects sectors such as plastics, polymers, and consumer and

specialty chemicals, it also puts up to 200 000 direct jobs at risk.9

To preserve and modernise strategic production capacities and value chains, decarbonise

the sector, reduce dependencies10 and attract the right skills, the Commission will establish

a Critical Chemicals Alliance11. This Alliance will act as a strategic umbrella that enables

cooperation with Member States and stakeholders, so that the risks of production capacity

closures in the sector can be mapped and addressed. The Alliance will also facilitate

discussions on key trade challenges, such as global level playing distortions, supply chain

dependencies, and intellectual property rights issues, by helping the industry and the

Commission to detect potentially harmful import surges at an early stage. This work will

draw on the Transition Pathway for the Chemical Industry.

The Alliance will help develop criteria for identifying chemical sites and molecules that

are critical for the EU’s strategic objectives. These should reflect their importance for

downstream strategic sectors, as well the level of EU trade dependencies. Building on the

experience of the other strategic industries, such as raw materials or net-zero, it could also

explore new resilience factors relevant to the chemicals sector, such as rare or limited

replication production sites critical to the value chains in the Union.

Based on these criteria, the Alliance will contribute to mapping critical molecules, such

as those that are essential for strategic value chains and subject to dependency on a single

(5) COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/... supplementing Directive (EU) 2024/1788

of the European Parliament and of the Council by specifying a methodology for assessing greenhouse

gas emissions savings from low- carbon fuels, C 2025 (4674)

(6) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Chemicals

Agency and amending Regulations (EC) No 1907/2006, (EU) No 528/2012, (EU) No 649/2012 and

(EU) 2019/1021, COM 2025 (386)

(7) In particular, ethane crackers common in the US and Middle East.

(8) The include amongst the others olefins, aromatics, methanol, ammonia and chlorine.

(9) CEFIC report: “the Competitiveness of the EU Chemical Industry”.

(10) For instance, on fertilisers

(11) in compliance with the competition rules and EU’s international commitments.

3

third country or a few suppliers12. Such molecules would subsequently benefit from

enhanced monitoring under the Customs Surveillance System and could serve as a basis

for a potential legislative proposal.

The Alliance will also support the EU and Member States in aligning investment priorities

and guide coordination of EU support mechanisms with national projects, including

Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs). Two potential IPCEIs could

benefit the chemicals sector. First, the Joint European Forum for IPCEI (JEF-IPCEI) is

looking at the biotechnology value chain to identify possible projects. Second, the Forum

endorsed a project on circular advanced materials and its design is currently ongoing.

Member States may design aid measures to support IPCEIs for technologies crucial for the

clean transition or important infrastructure projects. Whether or not an IPCEI emerges

will depend on the fiscal capacity of the participating Member States.

Third, the Commission will assist Member States and regions in designating EU Critical

Chemical Sites. They would build on already existing industrial clusters and platforms

such as the European Chemical Regions network. Such local industrial ecosystems have a

crucial role to play in maintaining resilient value chains in sectors like clean technologies,

aerospace, defence or health - sectors that require an agile and modernised production base.

Many of these sites require investments to modernise, depollute and decarbonise, while

increasing competitiveness. Targeted support should be made available to modernise sites

at risk of closure and to facilitate their green transition, in line with State aid rules where

applicable.

There are around 150 chemical parks across the EU. They anchor industrial activity, jobs,

and centres of excellence and innovation. The Commission will help safeguard and support

the development of these ecosystems through, modernisation and decarbonisation, using

cohesion funding, both under the current legal framework and following from the proposed

communication on a modernised cohesion policy13. It will build on the experience of Just

Transition Fund on decarbonisation, upskilling/reskilling and capacity building, the

Innovation Fund and InvestEU. Currently, the Commission already supports the

decarbonisation of the chemical industry with the Just Transition Fund and the just

transition process.

Investments could be supported through the co-creation of regional plans for the EU

Critical Chemical Sites, bringing together industry, academia, start-ups, and regional

authorities. This should result in better matching local needs with available resources,

infrastructures and instruments, and would allow innovative companies and start-ups to

bring new solutions in modernising critical production processes, accelerating

decarbonisation, digitalisation, and circularity as well as promoting safer and more

sustainable chemicals. This collaborative groundwork can help improve matchmaking

with EU funding instruments. In this regard, the Commission could inform Member States

of relevant funding opportunities and reduce the risk that promising projects fall through

the cracks due to administrative complexity or fragmented support.

(12) For critical raw materials is addressed in the Raw Materials Information Systems RMIS

https://rmis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

(13) Commission Communication “A modernised Cohesion policy: The mid-term review”, COM(2025) 163

final, 1 April 2025

4

This initiative will also help with providing administrative assistance to other measures

such as strengthening research-industry collaboration, promoting innovation, supporting

SMEs and upskilling/reskilling of local workforce14.

The implementation of the current Action Plan will also rely on the Competitiveness

Coordination Tool, as presented in the Competitiveness Compass, to alleviate the sector’s

dependencies on external factors and support its transition toward a more sustainable and

competitive future.

The Commission will:

• Establish a Critical Chemicals Alliance at EU level as a strategic umbrella structure for

cooperation with Member States and stakeholders to address the risks of production

capacity closures in the sector and discuss key trade challenges (Q4 2025).

The Alliance will:

• Set up support for Member States and stakeholders to develop criteria to identify

critical production sites and molecules in the EU (Q4 2025).

• Assist Member States and stakeholders in mapping critical molecules, which will serve

as a basis for enhanced monitoring under the Customs Surveillance System, supply

diversification, as well as a possible legislative proposal on critical molecules (2026).

• Assist Member States and Regions in setting up EU Critical Chemicals Sites, to

facilitate investments, innovation, improve access to funding and assist the

modernisation of critical production capacities (2026).

2.2. International trade: opening new markets and protecting the EU

industry

The European chemical industry is a leading exporter and a key contributor to Europe’s

trade balance. In 2023, the value of chemical exports from the EU, excluding

pharmaceutical and medicinal products, reached EUR 285 billion, compared to EUR 241

billion in imports. Its trade surplus is mainly attributed to the downstream segments

(consumer and specialty chemicals), polymers and chemical intermediates, whereas its

trade deficit in the upstream segments reflects the EU’s dependence on imported energy

and feedstock carriers (fossil energy and feedstocks, bio-based feedstocks) used to produce

other chemicals.

For the industry to regain its competitiveness within the EU and internationally, access to

overseas markets for both exports and imports, along with a reinforced level playing field,

is critical, for example in the area of intellectual property protection. To achieve this, the

EU will take sector-specific actions as described below.

Securing access to export markets

The Commission will continue to expand the EU’s network of free trade agreements to

reduce trade barriers and evaluate relevant aspects of existing trade agreements with a view

(14) Under the Pact for Skills a regional partnership led by the European Chemical Regions Network, has as

primary commitment to assist regions in navigating the challenges posed by the industry's transition to

green and digital practices.

5

to promoting trade in chemicals, including ensuring access to raw material inputs that are

essential for the chemicals industry.

The Commission will strive, in cooperation with stakeholders, to support the chemicals

industry through other forms of agreements, where free trade agreements are currently not

possible, to facilitate market access and promote trade through alternative tailor-made

forms of engagement with our partners. These might include sectoral regulatory

cooperation agreements, aiming to reduce unnecessary barriers to simplify trade in

chemicals, as well as Critical Raw Materials Strategic Partnerships or Clean Trade and

Investment Partnerships (CTIP), in order to secure supply chain diversification for

essential critical raw materials inputs.

Trade defence

Where warranted, the Commission will continue to make fast and efficient use of trade

defence instruments, such as anti-dumping, anti-subsidy or safeguard measures. This

should protect our industries from unfair global competition and ensure that our market

does not serve as an export destination for trade diversion and state-induced excess global

capacity.

Between 1 January 2024 and 30 June 2025, the Commission initiated 18 trade defence

investigations on imports of chemicals from third countries. In addition, on 30 June 2025

there were 46 measures in force which concern chemicals. The majority of these cases

concern imports from China, likely due to a build-up of massive overcapacities. While the

EU industry was facing rising costs, Chinese producers steeply lowered their prices. This

price decrease is totally disconnected from global raw materials market trends, which

points to dumping practices.

The Commission will strengthen the EU’s trade defence toolbox to respond more swiftly

and effectively to unfair pricing practices in the chemical sector. It will also accelerate the

fast and efficient use of trade defence instruments, including through close cooperation

with the Chemical Industry Alliance to detect such practices. The Commission will

continue acting decisively against practices of evasion of anti-dumping measures, through

application of anti-circumvention procedures.

To ensure timely action based on accurate data, the Commission will continue to closely

monitor imports of chemicals both under its newly created Import Surveillance Task Force

and through the specific monitoring system introduced in March 2025 for certain industrial

chemicals. This monitoring will be expanded to further molecules, notably to those under

the list of critical molecules, once it is agreed.

Customs and market surveillance

Imports placed on the EU market must respect the same rules as EU-made products. This

is a matter of credibility, industrial resilience, and consumer protection. The EU and its

Member States will step up enforcement of EU chemicals legislation to close loopholes

that allow non-compliant imports, particularly through online platforms or unregulated

intermediaries, as this risks distorting competition and undermines compliant EU

producers. The Digital Product Passport will play a role in supporting this goal, by

improving transparency along value chains and providing reliable and comparable

information on both EU and non-EU products.

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This requires stepping up controls at the border, including though customs reform and

better market surveillance. In addition, the EU should move towards targeted, risk-based

checks on chemicals, building on initiatives like those outlined in the e-commerce

Communication15. This includes the development of harmonised enforcement priorities,

such as checks on substances in articles, restricted chemicals, or mislabelled mixtures.

These efforts will help ensure that products entering the EU do not bypass safety rules,

undercutting the internal market and weakening incentives to innovate. As outlined in the

Single Market Strategy, the Commission is committed to take effective action to increase

product compliance by tapping into synergies with capacities of the EU and national

customs and market surveillance authorities and potentially establishing an EU Market

Surveillance Authority16.

To reinforce the compliance of imported goods with the relevant EU rules, the Commission

will strengthen enforcement through improved cooperation and information exchange

among national authorities, ECHA, and customs authorities. This will involve boosting

coordination through Administrative Cooperation Groups (AdCos) and enhancing systems

like the Information and Communication System on Market Surveillance (ICSMS) and the

Safety Gate rapid alert system. Additionally, the Commission will promote better

enforcement of existing rules, including under REACH, through the EU Single Window

Environment for Customs and its future articulation in the context of the Customs Union

Reform and its EU Customs Data Hub as well as other custom systems. Also, the next

EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats) cycle 2026-

2029 presents an opportunity to strengthen the framework against counterfeit goods,

including chemicals. 17

The Commission will:

• Continue collaborating with international partners to secure access to global markets,

pursuing sectoral cooperation agreements where free trade agreements are not possible.

• Strengthen the monitoring of chemicals under the Import Surveillance Task Force

including for trade defence responses to detect potentially injurious import surges early

(Q3 2025).

• Support the development of harmonised risk-based controls for chemicals to reinforce

the compliance of imported goods with the relevant EU rules. (Q4 2025).

• Coordinate a package of enforcement and market surveillance actions, including

through the integration of REACH through the EU Single Window Environment for

Customs and its future articulation in the context of the Customs Union Reform and its

EU Customs Data Hub, and other customs systems, as well as by prioritising chemicals

in national market surveillance work plans (Q4 2025).

3. SECURING AFFORDABLE ENERGY SUPPLY AND SUPPORTING DECARBONISATION

High energy prices are significantly undermining the cost-competitiveness of EU based

chemicals producers. Energy accounts for about 75% of production costs in the EU

petrochemicals sector. Natural gas makes up over 70% of the variable costs of ammonia,

(15) A comprehensive EU toolbox for safe and sustainable e-commerce, COM(2025) 37 final.

(16) COM(2025) 500 final

(17) See also the Commission Communication “A comprehensive EU toolbox for safe and sustainable e-

commerce”, COM(2025) 37 final, 5 February 2025, p. 12.

7

while electricity accounts for over 60% of production costs in industry. Enhanced

investment in interconnections and supply chains with Southern Neighbourhood partners

under the New Mediterranean Pact will be a key asset.

The chemical industry depends on imported fossil fuels not only as a source of energy, for

example to generate heat in production processes, but also as raw material inputs for most

chemical products. This dual dependency makes the sector uniquely vulnerable to fossil

fuels price volatility and supply chain disruptions. While EU chemicals industry should

gradually move away from these dependencies, it is essential that transition policies take

account of the sector’s current energy and feedstock needs to ensure resilience,

decarbonisation and competitiveness.

3.1. Securing affordable energy supply

The Action Plan for Affordable Energy18 adopted in February 2025, aims to deliver lower

prices to European energy consumers, including the chemical industry. The Commission

will also continue to aggregate gas demand for EU companies to lower the overall energy

costs.

The EU Emission Trading System (ETS) indirect cost compensation State Aid

Guidelines19 enable Member States to compensate certain energy-intensive sectors

(including selected chemical sectors or products, such as refined petroleum products,

certain inorganic basic chemicals, some industrial gases or polyethylene) for the increase

in electricity prices, caused by the application of the EU ETS. The current State aid

framework does not include some chemical sectors. However, as the price assumptions

made at the time no longer reflect the current market conditions, with prices now also

affecting sectors like organic chemicals or fertilisers, the Commission will by the end of

the year update the ETS State aid guidelines with the view to including, among others,

additional chemical sectors.

In parallel, the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework “CISAF”20,allows Member

States to grant temporary relief on electricity costs for energy-intensive, trade-exposed

industries, with a minimum price of 50 EUR/MWh, on condition that they reinvest in

decarbonisation. The framework also allows for State aid support for deployment of a wide

array of decarbonisation technologies such as electrification, hydrogen, biomass, carbon

capture utilisation and storage as well as de-risking of investments in clean energy or

decarbonisation projects. Overall, these measures will help deliver decarbonisation

investments alleviate current energy cost pressures and support the continued production

of chemicals in the EU.

Faster permitting

The chemical industry often requires the establishment of new installations or the

retrofitting and modernisation of existing infrastructure. This requires new permits.

(18) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic

and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Action Plan for Affordable Energy Unlocking

the true value of our Energy Union to secure affordable, efficient and clean energy for all Europeans,

COM(2025)79 final.

(19) Communication from the Commission Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the

system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post-2021, C(2020) 6400 final.

(20) Communication From The Commission - Framework for State Aid measures to support the Clean

Industrial Deal, (Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework), C(2025) 7600

8

The EU has already put in place legislation to accelerate and streamline the permit-granting

process for some industrial installations, through the Net Zero Industry Act21 and the

revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive22. The revised Industrial Emissions

Directive23 sets up a new Innovation Centre on Industrial Transformation and Emissions

(INCITE). INCITE will identify and evaluate innovative techniques to showcase their

potential and promote their uptake on a larger scale. The most effective and viable

innovative techniques will be included in the conclusions on best available techniques.

In the Defence Readiness package, the Commission proposed a fast-track permitting

regime for defence readiness to enable a rapid scale-up of industrial capacity in response

to urgent security needs. Building on the experience of Net Zero Industry Act, the

Commission will propose later this year an Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act,

with concrete measures to address permitting bottlenecks relating to the decarbonisation

of energy intensive industries. Permitting challenges relating to environment assessments

will be addressed in the environmental omnibus in Q4 2025.

To accelerate the deployment of electrification projects, it is essential to accelerate grid

access for chemical installations, ensuring they can quickly source clean energy to

transform their production processes. As part of a European Grid Package, in 2025 the

Commission will propose measures to accelerate access to grids, storage and renewables.

Hydrogen

Besides its use for electricity generation, hydrogen is necessary for a cost-effective

transformation of the EU chemical industry. As a producer and consumer of hydrogen,

the chemical sector is well positioned to support the development of hydrogen economies

in the EU. Hydrogen will be key for the decarbonisation of various chemical products, for

example through the production of low-carbon nitrogen fertilisers.

The Commission will support the uptake of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and the

development of related infrastructure. The Commission has also launched a study to assess

the effectiveness of the hydrogen framework to identify possible barriers to the upscaling

of renewable hydrogen and assess the need for an adjustment of its regulatory framework.

In addition, a third call under the Hydrogen Bank will be soon launched to support

hydrogen production in Europe. On the same day as this Action Plan, the Commission also

adopts a delegated act on low-carbon hydrogen to provide certainty to investors and

promote the uptake of these technologies. The production and delivery of hydrogen is also

one of the main objectives of the upcoming Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech

Cooperation Initiative.

In addition to other forms of support, the free allocation rules in the EU ETS have been

updated to ensure technological neutrality in the carbon leakage protection measures.

Therefore, the production of hydrogen via electrolysis has been made eligible to receive

free EU ETS emission allowances at the benchmark level set by traditional technologies.

(21) Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on

establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing

ecosystem, OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024.

(22) Directive 2010/75/EU of the European parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial

and livestock rearing emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control).

(23) As amended by Directive (EU) 2024/1785

9

The Commission will:

• Update the State aid guidelines for ETS indirect cost compensation, with the view to

including additional chemicals (Q4 2025).

• Propose to address challenges related to environmental permitting including for

decarbonisation projects under the environmental omnibus (Q4 2025).

• Propose speeding up and streamlining other aspects of permitting (including

digitalisation) for decarbonisation projects under the Industry Decarbonisation

Accelerator Act (Q4 2025).

• Propose facilitating grid access to energy intensive industries electrification projects

(Q4 2025)

3.2. Supporting decarbonisation and the shift to a circular economy

Meeting net-zero ambitions and the shift to a circular economy model require investments.

At the same time, the move towards safer and more sustainable chemicals offers significant

opportunities to EU chemicals industry and downstream users.

As one of sectors hardest to abate, the chemical industry requires a technology neutral,

step-by-step and transitional approach to decarbonisation. Transitional solutions in

particular, such as ethane crackers, will be important in the process of transforming the

sector.

In addition, achieving net zero and reducing strategic dependencies will require a

progressive shift away from both fossil energy and virgin fossil feedstock, where

technically and economically feasible. Alternative clean carbon sources like biomass,

recycled waste and carbon from carbon capture utilisation (CCU) are essential for this. To

this end, the Commission will design incentives to build a viable business case for the clean

transition of the EU chemical industry.

EU financial support

The EU budget supports innovation and decarbonisation projects throughout the different

innovation stages.

The Horizon Europe work programme 2026-2027 will support the transition to industrial

decarbonisation at the earlier innovation stages with approximately EUR 370 million. In

addition, as announced in the Clean Industrial Deal, the Commission will lauch a flagship

Horizon Europe call of EUR 600 million under the 2026-2027 work programme to support

fit for-deployment projects. This call will be complementing ongoing research and

innovation efforts funded under Horizon Europe and will aim to foster synergies between

the Framework Programme for research and investment (R&I) and the Innovation Fund,

creating a pipeline of projects from R&I to deployment. The call will target all energy

intensive industries, including the chemical industry.

The Innovation Fund, set up by the EU ETS, provides incentives to invest in industrial

decarbonisation. In the context of the ETS review in 2026, the Commission will take into

account the specificities of the energy-intensive industries and it will propose to further

enhance this toolbox with an Industrial Decarbonisation Bank, aiming to provide up to

EUR 100 billion of funding for industrial decarbonisation. In 2025, a pilot for a new

Industrial Decarbonisation Bank will be launched with a EUR 1 billion auction for the

10

decarbonisation of key industrial processes, notably heat, which also in the chemical sector

is one of the largest sources of energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions24.

The InvestEU Fund mobilises public and private investment for innovation and clean

transition, including in supporting start-ups and scale-ups in clean technologies. An

amendment to the InvestEU Regulation, currently under discussion by the co-legislators,

proposed to increase the size of the InvestEU Fund and its offer to the market (notably

guarantees, venture debt and equity financial products) by mobilising additional EUR 50

billion of investment also to support the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal’s objectives

and initiatives implemented by the European Investment Bank Group, such as TechEU.

The revised InvestEU fund will be able to provide support to investments benefiting

energy-intensive industries, for instance, through supporting electricity grid equipment,

clean tech guarantees and corporate Power Purchase Agreements for renewable energy.

The future Competitiveness Fund will support decarbonisation efforts. Dedicated public

private initiative could also be established to promote investments for the modernisation

of the chemical sector. This is without prejudice to the next Multiannual Financial

Framework proposal’s package.

Bioeconomy and biomass

Bio-based feedstocks can offer meaningful alternatives to fossil carbon material25. If

designed correctly, using locally and sustainably sourced bio-based materials, they can

reduce dependencies on global value chains (such as replacing fossil gas with biogas and

biomass) and greenhouse gas emissions.

Using bio-based alternatives enables the production of safer and more sustainable

chemicals. For example, microbial fermentation uses microorganisms to convert sugars

and plant-based materials into valuable chemicals, reducing the need for petroleum-based

processes. Enzymes in enzymatic processes are increasingly used in bio-based chemical

production as catalysts that facilitate more sustainable reactions. These processes often

require less energy and generate fewer harmful byproducts than traditional methods.

Technological advances enable companies to convert waste materials and valorise waste,

such as agricultural residues and food waste, into valuable biobased chemicals and bio-

fertilisers. This reduces the need for virgin raw materials and valorises waste. Moreover,

there is a potential of exploiting current production capacity to use alternative feedstock

and biobased materials. At the same time, the protection of biodiversity and food security

must be ensured.

The upcoming Bioeconomy Strategy (Q4 2025) will aim to improve resource efficiency

and tap the significant growth potential of bio-based materials substituting fossil-based

materials, and related industries. This can also further reduce dependencies on imported

raw materials for the EU chemicals industry. The strategy will define a vision and

directions for scaling up the manufacturing of sustainable bio-based materials, develop

biotechnologies, promote innovation and investments in high-value applications, including

(24) cfde57b3-d80f-43e1-9ee4-cd96c42c6ca8_en

(25) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic

and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Building the future with nature: Boosting

Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, COM(2024)137 final.

11

for chemicals. Also, it will explore how to ensure chemical industry’s access to biomaterial

for added value uses such as biochemicals.

The Commission has already highlighted26 the potential of sustainable biomass as an

alternative feedstock27, with the option of voluntary labelling of bio-based products to

create lead markets. It will explore further options to incentivise the use of sustainable

biomass as feedstock.

Support for circularity

Chemical recycling can play an important role in reducing the EU’s dependence on virgin,

fossil-based resources for plastic production and valorise end-of-life products. For

example, hard-to-recycle waste plastics not suitable for mechanical recycling or where

specific quality requirements need to be reached can particularly benefit from chemical

recycling. It would contribute to the EU’s targets for recycling plastic waste and increasing

recycled content in plastics.

To promote effective deployment of chemical recycling, the Commission is launching the

public consultation on an implementing act under the Single-use Plastics Directive28 to

establish a clear, science-based and technologically neutral framework on the mass balance

allocation to account for recycling content from chemical recycling, allowing to create a

lead market for the chemical sector to become more circular. An implementing act is

scheduled for adoption in Q4 2025.

The proposal for a Circular Economy Act will address both the supply and demand side

by creating a single market for waste and boosting the use of recycled and secondary

materials. This presents a significant opportunity for the chemicals industry, which plays

a central role in enabling circular solutions across value chains.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)

CCUS is a fundamental net-zero technology to reduce dependencies on fossil fuels and

contribute to the resilience of European industries, particularly those harder to electrify

and to abate, such as chemicals, as outlined in the 2024 Industrial Carbon Management

Communication29. CCU can also improve industrial symbiosis, by linking sources of

industrial emissions to off-takers across local value chains.

This requires a structured approach to planning infrastructure, covering both the demand

and supply sides of captured CO2 and hydrogen networks. As a first step, the Delegated

Act under the Net Zero Industry Act, which will enter into force shortly, outlines the

obligations of EU gas and oil producers in meeting the EU’s 2030 CO2 storage

target. Furthermore, the Commission intends to draw up a dedicated legislative regime to

(26) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic

and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Building the future with nature: Boosting

Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, COM(2024)137 final.

(27) See also the Vision for Agriculture and Food, adopted in February 2025, has set out perspectives to

expand bioeconomy, to valorise by-products and waste, to accelerate market access for biopesticides

and to support the uptake of low-carbon fertilisers from recycled nutrients and digestate from biogas.

(28) Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction

of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, OJ L 155, 12.6.2019, p. 1.

(29) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic

and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Towards an ambitious Industrial Carbon

Management for the EU, COM(2024)62 final.

12

ensure the progressive development of an EU market for CO2 and CO2 infrastructure,

creating the trust and longer-term predictability for the value chain to take-off.

The successful uptake of CCU also requires a supportive regulatory framework. The

current ETS rules do not recognise captured CO2 in non-permanent products, such as those

produced by the chemical industry.

As part of the 2026 ETS review, the Commission will assess both the feasibility of

including waste management30 in the EU ETS and, in this context, how to best reward

captured CO2 in non-permanent products. In addition, it will assess the case of permanent

carbon removals to compensate for residual emissions from hard to abate sectors.

The Commission will:

• Adopt a new EU Bioeconomy Strategy to define a vision and directions for scaling up

the manufacturing of sustainable biobased materials, develop biotechnologies, promote

innovation and investments in high-value applications, including for chemicals (Q4

2025).

• Propose a Circular Economy Act to unlock secondary materials markets and drive

circularity in the chemicals (2026).

• Support the safe and effective deployment of chemical recycling under the Single-Use

Plastic Directive: public consultation launched Q3 2025 and adopt an impmeneting act

under the Single-use Plastics Directive concerning chemical recycling (Q4 2025).

• Assess the feasibility to accounting emissions from non-permanent CCU products

downstream as part of the ETS review (Q2/Q3 2026).

• Develop financial incentives to promote the uptake of non-fossil carbon as well as

renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.

• Improve the regulatory framework for carbon capture, transportation, utilisation and

storage (CCUS), including by proposing a regulatory framework for developing an EU

CO2 markets and infrastructure.

4. LEAD MARKETS AND INNOVATION

4.1. Lead markets and green taxation

The investments in non-fossil feedstocks and low-carbon technologies are often

constrained by the lack of off-takers, rendering it difficult for frontrunner companies to

reap the “green premium” and capitalise on investments. Therefore, within the logic of the

upcoming reform of the public procurement, the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator

Act will introduce EU content requirements, in line with the Union’s international legal

commitments, as well as resilience and sustainability criteria with the objective to foster

and safeguard clean European supply of energy-intensive products and European demand

for downstream industries.

Taxation can contribute to develop innovative, low-carbon solutions for the EU chemicals

industry. To support this objective, the Commission has put forward the Commission

Recommendation on Tax Incentives to support the Clean Industrial Deal. This initiative

provides a policy signal to businesses, encouraging them to accelerate their transition

towards clean tech, industrial decarbonisation and sustainable growth. It recommends the

(30) Waste incineration and other waste management processes, such as in particular landfilling, which

creates methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

13

provision of tax credits for clean tech manufacturers as well as accelerated depreciation for

heavy industries like the chemical sector when they invest in clean technology equipment.

The Commission will:

• Introduce EU content requirements as well as resilience and sustainability criteria to

promote lead markets for specific sectors under the Industrial Decarbonisation

Accelerator Act (Q4 2025).

4.2. Innovation

Innovation is crucial for the chemical industry to remain competitive. It is fundamental to

the development of breakthrough production technologies, for example those based on

green chemistry, such as photochemistry, electrochemistry, and the development of new

products including advanced materials. Innovation also benefits downstream users and

consumers by providing safer and more sustainable alternatives.

The EU provides significant support to early-stage innovation in the chemical industry,

from the development of new concepts to pilot projects, under Horizon Europe, particularly

within European partnerships, such as Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking31

(CBE JU), Process4Planet32 and Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe (IAM4EU)33.

However, scaling up innovative applications to industrial deployment remains a significant

challenge. This is a sensitive stage in the innovation process, since it involves high levels

of investments and considerable uncertainty, both in terms of technological performance

and future market uptake.

The Commission will create EU Innovation and substitution Hub(s) to overcome

innovation barriers, accelerate the development of safer and more sustainable solutions and

and will explore collaborative approaches to the substitution of targeted chemicals. These

hubs, inspired by the INCITE model, will help companies, especially SMEs, in horizon

scanning, in identifying and evaluating alternatives, fostering partnerships, and sharing

knowledge. The Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) chemicals will be embedded in

the Innovation Hubs, providing technical guidance from early-stage innovation. The SSbD

framework will promote collaboration among product designers, chemical companies,

scientists and research organisations. The Commission will facilitate access to the

necessary digital and physical infrastructure to develop, test and scale up SSbD

innovations.

These Hubs will also explore collaborative approaches towards the substitution of targeted

chemicals and could host an EU Network of Substitution Centres to provide tailored

(31) Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) is a EUR 2 billion public-private partnership between

the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC). It funds projects to advance competitive circular bio-

based industries in the EU 29 . The CBE JU is financed under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial

Framework and operates under the rules of Horizon Europe for 2021-2031.

(32) The Processes4Planet (P4Planet) Partnership’s aim is to transform the EU process industries in order to

achieve circularity and overall climate neutrality at the EU level by 2050 while also enhancing their global

competitiveness. P4Planet is public-private partnership established between A.SPIRE (as the private entity)

and the Commission in the context of Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry and Space) of Horizon Europe.

https://www.aspire2050.eu/p4planet/about-p4planet.

(33) ‘Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe (IAM4EU), a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under Horizon

Europe for 2025-2027, with the aim to enhance the innovation of advanced materials, covering production,

processes, and sustainability.

14

technical, scientific and financial support to companies, especially SMEs, seeking to

replace hazardous substances with safer alternatives.

The revised Commission recommendation on the framework for SSbD chemicals (2025)

will reinforce EU chemical industry competitiveness by making the innovation process

towards safer and more sustainable alternatives more efficient. Horizon Europe

programmes 2025-2027 will provide about EUR 120 million to support the development,

and acceleration of discovery, further enabled by AI and digitalisation, of alternatives to

substances of concern.

The Commission will roll out a Common Data Platform on Chemicals as part of the One

Substance, One Assessment initiative, to simplify and make access to chemical data more

transparent.

The upcoming Advanced Materials Act to be adopted in 2026 will also stimulate and

reward innovation in the chemicals sector. Advanced materials deliver the innovative

solutions for a more efficient, sustainable, and competitive industry. The Commission will

put forward an Advanced Materials Act establishing a comprehensive framework to

support the full value chain from research and development and startups to production and

deployment and stimulate and reward innovation in the chemicals sector.

Up to date chemical safety assessments

Innovation plays also a crucial role in advancing chemical safety by improving chemical

risk management and supporting the development of safer chemicals. Strengthening

collaboration across the chemical value chain is also essential to stimulate innovation in

chemical risk assessment. The Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals

(PARC) is the flagship EU initiative in this area. It brings together ministries, national

public health and risk assessment agencies, research organisations and academia.

New Approach Methodologies “NAMs” or animal-free testing approaches offer modern

science-based tools to provide information for chemical risk assessment. They are key to

accelerating risk assessments and closing information gaps and are cost-efficient tools. The

Commission will continue working to modernise chemical testing and to accelerate the

transition to animal-free approaches. As part of the One Substance, One Assessment

initiative, the Commission will launch a Common Data Platform on Chemicals to improve

access to chemical data. In parallel, the Commission will present a roadmap to phase out

animal testing for chemical safety assessments by 2026. It will work closely with

stakeholders to promote alternative methods, to avoid unnecessary testing and reduce

testing costs. The roadmap will outline the needs for test method development and

validation for animal-free methods, in line with the request made by the Council.

The Commission will:

• Accelerate and scale up chemical innovation using voluntary EU Chemicals Innovation

Hubs (Q1 2026).

• Propose an Advanced Materials Act to stimulate and reward innovation in the chemical

sector (Q4 2026).

• Roll out a Common Data Platform for Chemicals as set out under the One Substance,

One Assessment package.

• Present a roadmap for phasing out animal testing (Q1 2026).

15

5. SIMPLIFYING AND STREAMLINING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Simplification lies at the core of the Commission’s regulatory agenda, with a clear target

to reduce the administrative burden for business by 25% and for SMEs by 35% until the

end of this Commission’s mandate.

5.1. “Simplification omnibuses”

The Commission has adopted five “simplification omnibus packages” so far in 2025 to

streamline rules and reduce the administrative burden for EU industries. Some of these

proposals, in particular those contained in the “first simplification omnibus” of 26 February

2025, are directly relevant for the EU’s chemical industry34. The “fifth simplification

omnibus” of 17 June 2025 addresses aspects of defence and strengthens the possibility for

Member States to exempt chemical substances, on their own, in a mixture or in an article,

where this is necessary in the interests of defence.

On the day of this Action Plan, the Commission proposes, as a first step, a “sixth

simplification omnibus” focusing specifically on the EU chemicals and related legislation:

the Classification Labelling and Packaging Regulation35 (CLP), the Fertilising Product

Regulation36 and the Cosmetics Product Regulation37. The proposal simplifies different

rules in the chemical acquis while ensuring a high level of protection of human health and

the environment. For instance, the proposal revises the provisions on mandatory font sizes

and line spacing for the labelling of hazardous chemicals under the CLP, to make sure that

chemical companies can effectively communicate information on substances and mixtures.

This proposal will lead to estimated savings of at least EUR 363 million per year for the

chemical industry.

Beyond today’s simplification omnibus, the Commission will further simplify EU

legislation relevant to the EU chemicals industry. In Q4 2025, the Commission will adopt

another omnibus proposal aiming to reduce administrative burden in environmental

legislation, which will be also relevant to the EU chemicals industry.

Also, the Commission will, by the end of year, put forward a simplification omnibus

facilitating biocontrol in farming. Some aspects, such as facilitated market access for

biopesticides, will also be relevant to the chemical industry.

Taxonomy

As part of delivering the “first simplification omnibus”, the Commission will soon adopt

revised Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) criteria for pollution prevention and control

under the Taxonomy for sustainable investments. Specifically, it will clarify and limit the

(34) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives

2006/43/EC, 2013/34/EU, (EU) 2022/2464 and (EU) 2024/1760 as regards certain corporate

sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements, COM(2025)81 final.

(35) Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on

classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, OJ L 353, 31.12.2008, p. 1.

(36) Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 laying down

rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products, OJ L 170, 25.6.2019, p. 1.

(37) Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009

on cosmetic products (recast), OJ L 342, 22.12.2009, p. 59.

16

scope of Appendix C of the Taxonomy’s Climate and Environment Delegated Acts38 39 in

terms of substances covered. This will significantly reduce the burden to demonstrate

alignment with the Taxonomy and facilitate access to sustainable finance.

5.2. Targeted revision of the REACH Regulation

The Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals

(REACH)40 is the EU’s cornerstone legislation regulating chemicals. REACH has

contributed to increasing the knowledge on chemicals through registration and evaluation,

and to addressing the risk posed by certain chemicals through authorisations and

restrictions. However, certain REACH processes have proven to be burdensome for

companies, in particular SMEs.

By the end of 2025, the Commission will adopt a proposal for a targeted revision of

REACH to simplify the rules and speed up the procedures for industry, taking into account

competitiveness, safety, security and sustainability considerations, while ensuring high

level of protection of human health and the environment41.

5.3. The ECHA Regulation

In addition, the Commission is proposing a self-standing Regulation for the European

Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to enhance its governance and increase the sustainability of

its financing model. The aim is to empower ECHA to carry out its expanding

responsibilities effectively, strengthen ECHA’s ability to deliver timely and coherent

scientific opinions, helping companies plan with greater investment certainty.

Simplification of the financing model will enhance ECHA’s operational agility and reduce

the administrative burden. Improved efficiency will also enable ECHA to provide better

services to businesses, particularly SMEs, thereby reducing their compliance costs.

5.4. Providing clarity on PFAS

The scientific assessment of the Universal PFAS42 restriction by the ECHA’s committees

is ongoing and scheduled to conclude in 2026. The Commission is committed to presenting

(38) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 of 27 June 2023 supplementing Regulation (EU)

2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the technical screening criteria

for determining the conditions under which an economic activity qualifies as contributing substantially

to the sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, to the transition to a circular

economy, to pollution prevention and control, or to the protection and restoration of biodiversity and

ecosystems and for determining whether that economic activity causes no significant harm to any of the

other environmental objectives and amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 as

regards specific public disclosures for those economic activities”

(39) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 of 4 June 2021 supplementing Regulation (EU)

2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the technical screening criteria

for determining the conditions under which an economic activity qualifies as contributing substantially

to climate change mitigation or climate change adaptation and for determining whether that economic

activity causes no significant harm to any of the other environmental objectives, OJ L 442, 9.12.2021,

p. 1.

(40) Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006

concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, OJ L 396,

30.12.2006, p. 1.

(41) See also the Defence Readiness Omnibus Communication, COM/2025/820/final,

(42) Five national authorities (Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and Norway) submitted to

ECHA in January 2023 a restriction dossier for all PFAS.

17

a proposal as soon as possible after receiving ECHA’s opinion, with the overall objective

of minimising PFAS emissions.

The Commission will consider PFAS ban in consumer uses such as cosmetics, food contact

materials and outdoor clothing. Where adequate alternatives in terms of performance and

safety are not available, the continued use of PFAS in industrial applications may be

allowed for critical applications, such as health, defence, semiconductors, and other

strategic sectors43, under strict conditions until acceptable substitutes are found.

Derogations for uses will need to be accompanied by requirements to reduce emissions at

all lifecycle stages to limit the release of pollutants into the environment and by clear

incentives to innovate.

The Commission will support industry efforts towards mitigation and remediation, to

achieve increased water resilience, to reinforce Ocean health44 and address pollution of

water, soil and air.

To support the transition away from PFAS, the Commission is pursuing a comprehensive

strategy that combines regulation with other measures. They will include targeted

investment in research, innovation for safe and sustainable alternatives, and enhanced

coordination across EU institutions and Member States, expert networks to share

knowledge and solutions. EU Innovation Hubs will prioritise action to find safe and

sustainable alternatives to PFAS.

The Commission will promote a shift from PFAS towards safer alternatives45. The EU

must take decisive efforts to clean up sites already strongly polluted by such substances.

Cleanup should be based on the polluter pays principle, with public money allocated to

clean up orphan sites, where no liable entity could be found. Although remediation efforts

are very costly, research and innovation can significantly reduce these costs through novel,

including bio-based, technologies, which will be promoted in the Bioeconomy Strategy.

A new EU-wide PFAS monitoring framework will be developed to centralise information,

identify pollution hotspots, highlight successful remediation practices, and collect data

from relevant legislation. The Commission will explore how to best enhance information

sharing and communication on PFAS pollution and substitution and will launch a dialogue

bringing together stakeholders to support a holistic view of PFAS-related pollution

challenges. Also, to tackle legacy pollution, the Commission will aim to set up a public-

private initiative to achieve a technological breakthrough in feasible and affordable

methods for the detection and remediation of PFAS.

5.5. Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational safety and health is essential not only for protecting workers' health and

safety but also for boosting productivity, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring a level

playing field across industries. This is realised, among others, through the establishment

(43) Communication from the Commission Guiding criteria and principles for the essential use concept in

EU legislation dealing with chemicals (C/2024/2894).

(44) See the European Ocean Pact, COM/2025/281 final, p. 8.

(45) See also the European Water Resilience Strategy, COM(2025) 280 final, p. 5-6.

18

of occupational exposure limits at EU level under the Carcinogens, Mutagens and

Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD)46 and under the Chemical Agents Directive.47

The Commission will:

• Adopt an Omnibus proposal for the Chemical Industry (Q3 2025).

• Amend DNSH criteria for pollution prevention and control under the Taxonomy

regulation (Q3 2025).

• Adopt a proposal for a targeted revision of REACH (Q4 2025).

• Adopt a proposal for the ECHA Basic Regulation (Q3 2025).

• Adopt a simplification omnibus on plant protection products and accelerate market

access for biopesticides (Q4 2025).

• Adopt proposal to reduce administrative burden in environmental legislation

(Environmental Omnibus) (Q4 2025).

• Propose a PFAS restriction under REACH on the basis of ECHA’s opinion on the

‘universal’ PFAS restriction dossier.

• Develop an EU-wide PFAS monitoring framework to centralise data as well as promote

practical, science-based solutions for a sustainable shift by EU industry (Q4 2026).

• Launch a dialogue bringing together stakeholders to support a holistic view of PFAS-

pollution related challenges (Q2 2026).

6. CONCLUSION

Successful implementation of this Action Plan will require a concerted effort from all

stakeholders, including the European Institutions, Member States, industry, and civil

society. It will be essential to work together to create a favourable business environment,

to promote investment in decarbonisation and innovation, to reduce the sector’s

dependencies, and to provide access to the resources necessary for the transition to a more

competitive and sustainable future.

The Commission is committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure that this

Action Plan is implemented effectively and that its objectives are achieved. For this, the

Comission will maintain close dialogue with stakeholders, monitor results of this Action

Plan and will ensure its speedy delivery.

By doing so, we can ensure that the EU chemicals industry continues to play a vital role in

the EU's economy and society, while also contributing to the achievement of the EU's

climate and environmental goals.

***

(46) Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the protection

of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (Sixth individual

Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Council Directive 89/391/EEC), OJ L 158, 30.4.2004.

(47) Council Directive 98/24/EC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from

the risks related to chemical agents at work (fourteenth individual Directive within the meaning of

Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC), OJ L 131, 5.5.1998, p. 11.

    Resolutsiooni liik: Riigikantselei resolutsioon Viide: Riigikantselei /  / ; Riigikantselei /  / 2-5/25-01418

Resolutsiooni teema: Ettepanek: EL keemiatööstuse pakett (COM (2025) 530, 526, 531, 386)

Adressaat: Sotsiaalministeerium Ülesanne: Tulenevalt Riigikogu kodu- ja töökorra seaduse § 152` lg 1 p 2 ning Vabariigi Valitsuse reglemendi § 3 lg 4 palun valmistada ette Vabariigi Valitsuse seisukoha ja otsuse eelnõu järgneva algatuse kohta, kaasates seejuures olulisi huvigruppe ja osapooli:

-COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A European Chemicals Industry Action Plan, COM(2025)530

EISi toimiku nr: 25-0424

-Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 as regards dates of application and transitional provisions, COM(2025)526

EISi toimiku nr: 25-0423

-Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulations (EC) No 1272/2008, (EC) No 1223/2009 and (EU) 2019/1009 as regards simplification of certain requirements and procedures for chemical products, COM(2025)531

EISi toimiku nr: 25-0425

-Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the European Chemicals Agency and amending Regulations (EC) No 1907/2006, (EU) No 528 /2012, (EU) No 649/2012 and (EU) 2019/1021, COM(2025)386

EISi toimiku nr: 25-0422

Tähtaeg: 19.09.2025

Adressaat: Kliimaministeerium, Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium Ülesanne: Palume esitada oma sisend Sotsiaalministeeriumile seisukohtade kujundamiseks antud eelnõu kohta (eelnõude infosüsteemi (EIS) kaudu) Tähtaeg: 22.08.2025

Lisainfo: Eelnõu on kavas arutada valitsuse 02.10.2025 istungil ja Vabariigi Valitsuse reglemendi § 6 lg 6 kohaselt sellele eelneval nädalal (24.09.2025) EL koordinatsioonikogus. Esialgsed materjalid EL koordinatsioonikoguks palume esitada hiljemalt 19.09.2025.

Kinnitaja: Nele Grünberg, Euroopa Liidu asjade direktori asetäitja Kinnitamise kuupäev: 25.07.2025 Resolutsiooni koostaja: Sandra Metste [email protected],  

.

18.07.2025

Ettepanek: EL keemiatööstuse pakett (COM (2025) 530, 526, 531, 386)

Otsuse ettepanek koordinatsioonikogule

Kujundada seisukoht

Kaasvastutaja sisendi tähtpäev: 22.08.2025

KOKi esitamise tähtpäev: 24.09.2025

VV esitamise tähtpäev: 2.10.2025

Subsidiaarsuse tähtpäev: -

Seisukoha valitsusse toomise alus ja põhjendus

 Algatuse reguleerimisala nõuab vastavalt Eesti Vabariigi põhiseadusele seaduse või Riigikogu otsuse vastuvõtmist, muutmist või kehtetuks tunnistamist (RKKTS § 152¹ lg 1 p 1);

 Algatuse vastuvõtmisega kaasneks oluline majanduslik või sotsiaalne mõju (RKKTS § 152¹ lg 1 p 2).

Vastutav ministeerium: Sotsiaalministeerium

Kaasvastutajad: Kliimaministeerium, Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium

Sisukokkuvõte

Euroopa Komisjon avaldas 8.07.2025 EL keemiatööstuse tegevuskava ning sellega koos kemikaalide regulatsioonidega seotud lihtsustamise paketi (VI Omnibus) ja Euroopa Kemikaaliameti põhimääruse muudatuse.

Eesmärgid

Eesmärk I: EL keemiatööstuse tegevuskava (COM (2025) 530) eesmärk on võtta meetmeid, mis tõstaks Euroopa keemiatööstuse konkurentsivõimet ning moderniseeriks sektorit. Tegevuskavas on pakutud välja järgmised meetmed:

- Vastupanuvõime ja võrdne konkurents: luuakse kriitilise tähtsusega kemikaalide liit, parandamaks keemiasektori tootmisvõimekusi, koordineerides investeeringuprioriteete, EL-i ja riiklikke projekte, sh IPCEI), samuti hakatakse

2

kohaldama kaubanduse kaitsemeetmeid ning tõhustatakse impordiseiret vastava rakkerühma kaudu.

- Taskukohane energia ja süsinikuheite vähendamine: viiakse ellu taskukohase energia tegevuskava, et aidata vähendada suuri energia- ja lähteainekulusid keemiatööstusele. Julgustatakse ka kasutama puhtaid süsinikuallikaid, nagu süsiniku sidumine, biomass ja jäätmed, toetades samal ajal taastuvenergia kasutuselevõttu.

- Turunõudluse ja innovatsiooni suunamine: näiteks maksusoodustustega mõjutada nõudlust keskkonnasõbralike kemikaalide järele, panuse annavad ka tööstuse dekarboniseerimise kiirendi, biomajanduse strateegia, ringmajanduse määrus, käivitatakse ELi kemikaalide innovatsiooni- ja asenduskeskused ning kaasatakse Euroopa Horisondi rahastus.

- Perfluoroalküülühendite (PFASide) meetmed: PFASide heidet minimeeritakse teaduspõhiste piirangute kehtestamise abil, tagades samal ajal alternatiivide puudumisel kasutamine kriitilistes rakendustes .

Eesmärk II: Koos tegevuskavaga esitati ka kemikaalitööstuse lihtsustamismeetmete pakett (COM (2025) 526, 531), mille eesmärk on vähendada halduskoormust, tagades samal ajal tervise- ja keskkonna kõrge kaitse taseme. See hõlmab ohtlike kemikaalide märgistamise (CLP) reegleid, ELi kosmeetikamääruse täpsustamist ning ELi väetistoodete registreerimise lihtsustamist. Nendest meetmetest oodatakse tööstusele vähemalt 363 miljoni euro suurust aastast kokkuhoidu.

- Esimese eelnõuga (COM (2025) 531) muudetakse ohtlike kemikaalide klassifitseerimise, märgistamise ja pakendamise ehk CLP-määrust, kosmeetikatoodete määrust ja väetisetoodete määrust. CLP määruses muudetakse paindlikumaks märgistamise nõudeid, nt fondisuuruseid, reavahesid, märgistuse ajakohastamise uuendamise ajalist tähtaega, erandeid väiksematele pakenditele ja kütusepumpadele, samuti reklaami- ja kaugmüügisätteid (vähendades esitatava teabe hulka), laiendatakse ka digitaalse märgistuse kasutamise võimalusi. Kosmeetikatoodete määruses lihtsustatakse andmete esitamisega seotud kohustusi, mis vähendab ettevõtjate ja ametiasutuste halduskoormust, näiteks kaotatakse topelt teavitamiskohustus nanomaterjalide puhul. Väetisetoodete määruses kaotatakse eraldi REACH registreerimiskohustus (edaspidi kehtivad REACH standardsed sätted), volitatakse komisjoni kehtestada mikroorganismide hindamise kriteeriumid ja metoodika ning tehakse ettepanek kaotada klausel, mis nõuab eraldi delegeeritud õigusakte iga koostisosamaterjalide kategooria kohta.

- Teise eelnõuga (COM (2025) 526) antakse esialgsest rohkem üleminekuaega mõnede 2024. aastal jõustunud CLP-määruse uuendatud nõuete rakendamisele.

3

Eesmärk III: Esitatud on ka eraldi eelnõu Euroopa Kemikaaliameti ehk ECHA põhimääruse muutmiseks (COM (2025) 386) seoses ametile mitmetest EL õigusaktidest tulenevate uute ülesannetega. Ettepanek aitab ametil koordineerida oma tegevust laiemate ELi kemikaalipoliitikatega, ühtlustada kemikaalide riskihindamist ning muuta protsesse läbipaistvamaks ja paindlikumaks. Selleks laiendatakse ameti eesmärke ja ülesandeid, täpsustatakse organisatsiooni struktuuri, peadirektori rolli. Riskihindamise ja sotsiaalmajandusliku analüüsi komiteedesse (RAC, SEAC) liikmesriikide poolt liikmete nimetamine muutub kohustuslikuks (millega kaasneb riikidele teatav lisakulu), samal ajal võimaldatakse paindlikumalt väliseid eksperte kaasata. Nähakse ette ka SEAC-i sekkumine biotsiidide erandi protseduuri. Integreeritakse tarbijaohutuse komitee (SCCS) ECHA alla, täpsustatakse selle liikmete pädevuse nõudeid ja ülesandeid kosmeetikatoodetes ainete ohutuse hindamisega. Viiakse ameti finantssätted kooskõlla EL ametite finantsreeglite ja EL institutsioonide ühise lähenemise kokkuleppega (2012. aastast), võimaldatakse ametil ka tasusid võtta ja sellest tekkivat reservi hoida. Tehnilised muudatused seoses eelarvete eraldamise nõude kaotamisega tehakse ka biotsiidide määrusesse, ohtlike kemikaalide impordi ja ekspordi määrusesse ja püsivate orgaaniliste saasteainete määrusesse. Määrus näeb ette ameti tegevuse hindamise Euroopa Komisjoni poolt iga kahe aasta tagant.

Kas EL algatus reguleerib karistusi või haldustrahve? Ei

Kas nähakse ette uue asutuse loomine (järelevalvelised või muud asutused)? Ei

Kas lahenduse rakendamine vajab IT-arendusi? Ei

Mõju ja sihtrühm

Mõju valdkonnad: Majandus: Ettevõtlus, Halduskoormus

Kemikaalide lihtsustamise paketi eesmärk on vähendada kulusid ja halduskoormust keemiatööstusettevõtjatele. Muudatustest oodatakse tööstusele vähemalt 363 miljoni euro suurust aastast kokkuhoidu.

Keskkond, Tervis: Muudatustega tagatakse keskkonna- ja tervise kaitse kõrge tase ning tõhustatakse kemikaalide ohutuse hindamisega seotud protseduure.

Kaasamine

Kaasata kõik asjassepuutuvad partnerid ja huvirühmad, eelkõige Terviseamet, Põllumajandus- ja Toiduamet, Eesti Keemiatööstuse Liit, Eesti Kaubandus-Tööstuskoda, kosmeetikatoodete ning väetiste tootjate esindajad.