Key facts
- European chemical manufacturers are urging Brussels to implement stronger measures against a surge of Chinese imports.
- Companies like Vynova are facing intense competition from Chinese producers, leading to plant closures and restructuring.
- The European chemical industry has lost significant capacity and jobs in recent years due to import pressures.
- China's share of chemical imports into the EU has grown substantially, increasing dependence on foreign supply.
- INEOS is initiating 10 anti-dumping cases to protect key chemical products and jobs within Europe.
European chemical manufacturers are urgently appealing to Brussels for decisive action against a significant influx of Chinese imports, citing accelerating plant closures and job losses across the sector. Companies like Vynova, a major producer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), report being severely undercut by Chinese competition, leading to production cuts and restructuring. Vynova has already closed a Dutch site and is undergoing legal restructuring at three other factories, while also filing an anti-dumping complaint against Chinese competitors.
The European Chemical Trade association (Cefic) estimates that the industry has lost nearly 10 percent of its capacity and 20,000 jobs over the past three years. Concurrently, Europe's reliance on imported chemicals has grown, with non-EU suppliers accounting for 31 percent of chemicals consumed in the bloc in 2023, up from 22 percent a decade prior. China alone has doubled its share of these imports to 18 percent.
The European Commission is reportedly exploring options to support the industry, including sectoral quotas, import restrictions, and targeted tariffs on Chinese producers. However, the slow pace of regulatory processes raises concerns among manufacturers like Vynova, who fear they may not survive long enough for these measures to take effect. The situation is described by industry leaders as an "existential crisis" and "industrial self-harm."
INEOS has taken a more aggressive stance, filing or preparing to file 10 major anti-dumping cases to protect strategic chemical products such as PVC, MEG, and Polyolefins. The company argues that low-cost, high-carbon imports, particularly from Asia, are flooding the European market, undermining local producers who face higher energy and carbon costs. INEOS warns that this trend threatens thousands of European manufacturing jobs and the bloc's industrial sovereignty.