Ensuring affordable and stable energy for the European energy-intensive industries using the example of the chemical sector

Background

With this own-initiative opinion, the EESC puts forward key recommendations and urges the EU institutions to address with targeted and effective measures the issue of affordable and stable energy for the European energy-intensive industries.

Energy-intensive industries are central to Europe’s industrial base, employment and strategic autonomy. The chemical sector is a prime example: it underpins key value chains (pharmaceuticals, automotive, construction and agriculture) and relies heavily on electricity and natural gas both as energy sources and as feedstocks. Chemicals are used across many sectors such as the agriculture, manufacturing, defence, food and construction sectors.

The EU needs to adapt to a rapidly changing world and secure sustainable growth for the decades ahead. In February 2024, 73 business leaders across 17 sectors signed the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal to complement the Green Deal and keep high-quality jobs for European workers in Europe. In September 2024, the Draghi report on The Future of European Competitiveness highlighted the urgent need to address Europe’s industrial competitiveness, especially for energy-intensive sectors such as the chemical sector.

Key points

The EESC:

• stresses that the European energy-intensive industry, and in particular the chemical sector, is facing a deep structural crisis, driven primarily by persistently high and volatile energy costs, low investments and global competition; 
• emphasises that preserving and developing the existing industrial base in line with the new EU goal for manufacturing is essential to avoid the loss of manufacturing capacity know-how and skills, as well as to prevent structural technological dependencies in strategic sectors;
• believes that it is the high time to rebalance the five key pillars of Energy Union – security, internal energy market, energy efficiency, decarbonisation and competitiveness;
• points out that policies must be aligned, and prioritise job protection and high-quality employment according to relevant labour and social regulation, and applicable collective agreements;
• underlines that a key additional measure should be a reform of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the Market Stability Reserve to reduce excessive price volatility and investment uncertainty by limiting speculative operations;
• it is necessary to ensure a realistic and flexible energy transition which takes into account the national realities, including geomorphological conditions.

Additional information

Section: Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN)

Opinion number: TEN/876

Opinion type: Own-initiative

Rapporteur: Mateusz Szymański (Group II - Poland)

Date of adoption by section: 24 June 2026

Result of the vote: 73 in favour, 4 against, 6 abstentions

Date of adoption in plenary: 15-16 July 2026

Result of the vote: 222 in favour, 3 against, 4 abstentions

Contact

Marco Pezzani

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 9793 | Mob: +32 470 881 903

E-mail: marco.pezzani@eesc.europa.eu 

Albert Precup

Administrator

Tel.: +32 546 9326

E-mail: albert.precup@eesc.europa.eu