ESIG Steering Committee
ESIG Strategy Approved:
Renewed Focus on Safe and Sustainable Solvent Use
Collaborative Effort Leads to Strategy Approval
In a strong show of collaboration, the European Solvents Industry Group (ESIG) has finalised and approved its updated strategy to promote the safe and sustainable use of solvents. Originally developed last year, the strategy was reviewed by Steering Committee (SC) members and industry expert Frans Stokman, ensuring alignment with both scientific insight and stakeholder priorities.
Workshop Highlights and Key Discussions
The strategy review culminated in a dedicated workshop, where participants summarised key discussion points, outlined next steps, and assigned responsibilities. Particular emphasis was placed on the need for regular assessment and flexibility to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities.
Formal Endorsement and Reprioritisation
Following constructive input from the Steering Committee, the strategy was formally endorsed, and the working topics were reprioritised to reflect current needs better. This milestone highlights the industry’s united commitment to safety, sustainability, and transparent stakeholder engagement — essential pillars in shaping the future of solvent use across Europe.
CBAM:
Addressing Carbon Leakage and Its Impact on the European Chemical Industry
Keynote Speech by Frans Stokman
Frans Stokman, Executive Director Petrochemicals Europe, delivered a keynote speech on the latest developments regarding the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and its potential implications for the European chemical industry. As a central part of the EU’s Fit-for-55 package, CBAM aims to mitigate carbon leakage risks.
Replacing Free Allocations with a Carbon Levy
CBAM replaces the free allocations under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and introduces a levy on carbon-intensive imports to prevent carbon leakage. This mechanism ensures that imported goods face the same carbon costs as those produced within the EU, promoting global industrial decarbonisation.
Challenges in the Chemical Sector
The complexity of the chemical sector requires precise and robust data to ensure fair and effective carbon cost allocation. Accurate carbon allocation is challenging due to the diverse and complex global supply chains nature of chemical products and their production processes.
Importance of Collaboration and Data Transparency
The meeting emphasised the importance of continuous collaboration, data transparency, and strategic alignment to ensure that CBAM is designed to deliver its purpose while maintaining a level playing field for the European chemical sector. Industry collaboration is crucial for providing feedback and suggestions to refine the mechanism.
Future Plans and Industry Feedback
Future plans for CBAM involve expanding its scope and incorporating continuous industry feedback to refine the mechanism. The European Commission will review CBAM’s performance and consider extending its scope to include more products, subject to the outcome of a predefined evaluation process.
Conclusion
The implementation of CBAM is essential to protect the European chemical industry from carbon leakage while promoting sustainable practices. Still, it needs to meet 4 key criteria in order to be suitable for our industry, and as yet, these conditions are not met. Continuous collaboration and data transparency will be key to ensuring the success of this initiative and maintaining the competitiveness of the European chemical sector.