Cefic Urges Policy Updates to Accelerate Bioeconomy and Circularity in EU Chemical Sector
The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) outlined July 1 multiple policy and infrastructure priorities needed to support the chemical industry’s transformation toward circular production and a bio-based economy, according to several recent announcements.
Cefic released a five-point action plan recommending that the upcoming revision of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy evolve into an industrial strategy. The recommendations include supporting bio-based product demand through legislation, scaling biomanufacturing and incentivizing the conversion of existing chemical assets. The organization emphasized the need for improved access to sustainable biomass feedstocks and consistent EU-wide policy and regulatory frameworks.
The five-point action plan comes on the heels of a new study published June 15 in collaboration with management consultancy UNITY, on accelerating circularity in the chemical sector. Based on interviews and member surveys, Cefic reported that:
- 90% of respondents cited high business impacts from the circular economy transition
- 82% said circularity is integrated into their corporate strategies
- 52% described themselves as advanced in circular practices
However, engineers and plant operators still face significant hurdles. These include high capital costs, gaps in recycling infrastructure, complex and fragmented regulations and insufficient market demand for circular products.
To address these barriers, the study recommends regulatory incentives, coordinated infrastructure investment and cross-sector collaboration. It also calls for performance monitoring and innovation partnerships to close implementation gaps and drive measurable progress.
According to the organization, Europe’s competitiveness and environmental goals will require synchronized efforts across industry and policymaking to scale both circular and biobased solutions.
