Petrochemicals Europe is an industry sector of Cefic, the European Chemical Industry council, representing about 29.000 large, medium and small chemical companies employing approximately 1,2 million people, and accounting for nearly 17% of world chemicals production fuelling innovation, manufacturing and employment.

Who we are

Petrochemicals Europe brings together companies manufacturing ethylene and propylene from steam cracking and/or other olefins, and/or aromatics for chemical use, and/or major first stage petrochemical derivatives (excluding polymers).

These are the raw materials of the petrochemical industry, which turns them into products used in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer goods. For more information on their uses, check out our product groups and applications section or, for a general view of the uses and benefits of the petrochemicals industry, see our Flowchart.

Our Vision

As a fundamental sector to most industrial ecosystems, the petrochemicals industry drives innovation in sustainable, safe and circular solutions, while transforming its own environmental footprint.

Our Mission

As the voice of the European petrochemical industry, we:

  • Promote best practices in safety, environment and health throughout the industry.
  • Engage pro-actively with all stakeholders including members, industrial customers, EU policymakers in the pursuit of circular, sustainable and innovative solutions.
  • Advocate for a science-based regulatory framework that will facilitate Europe’s industrial transition to climate neutrality and circularity whilst ensuring our industry’s success in a highly competitive global environment.
  • Raise awareness of the industry’s key contribution to Europe’s sustainable future as it drives innovation and creates prosperity for most industrial ecosystems in Europe.
  • Encourage the industry to be at the forefront of EU’s transition to sustainable economy, through innovative projects.
  • Support the EU Green Deal’s ambition to become climate neutral by 2050, a goal that cannot be reached without a strong chemical industry.

Our Priorities

Petrochemicals Europe’s key priorities to achieve our vision by 2050 are the following:

  1. Electrification,
  2. Recycling & Mass Balancing,
  3. Technology & Innovation,
  4. Hydrogen,
  5. Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability,
  6. ETS & CO2 Neutrality,
  7. Energy Process Efficiency
  8. Global Level Playing Field.

 

Our Structure

Besides its common-core activities, Petrochemicals Europe comprises products and sector groups, each with its specific set of objectives.

Petrochemicals Europe looks for and encourages any possible cross-fertilisation around issues of interest to all petrochemical sectors, in particular in the field of health, safety and environment, scientific and technical issues, market intelligence and communications.
One of Petrochemicals Europe’s priorities is also to achieve efficient co-ordination along the industry chain, so as to deliver consistent messages to its industry’s stakeholders, taking advantage of the quantum leap in information technology that we have been witnessing in the last few years.