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Minutes of Meeting 
 
MEETING CONCLUSIONS 
Title 
Roundtable with European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) 
Date 
15-2-2021 
Participants 
COM:  
Commissioner Kadri Simson 
, Member of Cabinet 
, DG ENER C1 
Ext :  
Martin Brudermüller, BASF – Cefic President, CEO BASF 
Philippe Ducom, President, ExxonMobil Europe  
, Nouryon President, Business Unit Technology Solutions  
 DuPont, President Europe, Middle East and Africa 
 VP Chemicals Europe and Africa, Global Excellence and Product 
Stewardship, Shell Chemicals Europe 
 Lyondellbasell. Senior Vice President of Olefins and Polyolefins for 
Europe, Asia and the rest of world (except the Americas)  
, Chief Executive Officer, Covestro, President PlasticsEurope 
, Vice President, Cellulose Derivatives Business at Celanese 
 SABIC’s Vice President Europe 
Marco Mensink Director General, European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) 
 
Ares initial request : (2021)432582 
 
Disclosure authorization : ܈ YES  -  ܆ NO  -  ܆ Partial (pls highlight unauthorized parts) 
Issues raised 
Summary 
& follow-up 
o  The chemical industry fully support the European objective of climate neutrality, 
and will play a crucial role as an energy consumer and producer of materials for 
clean energy technologies. The chemical industry can also act as large 
batter/demand response in a future electricity system based on variable 
renewables. 
o  A zero-emission chemical industry through electrification is possible, but requires 
significant scale up of renewable electricity across the EU, including through 
interconnectors and renewable power purchase agreements (+600 TWh needed in 
Germany alone).  
o  The chemical industry is working on analysis outlining future energy demand in 
zero-emission world, and would like to present it to the Commissioner  
o  Certification of hydrogen is needed, as it will be primarily used to decarbonise 
feedstock consumption, as it is in most cases too expensive for heating 
applications.  
o  Support for risky, innovative zero-emission demonstration projects needed in 
period up to 2025, with scale up in 2nd half of decade.  
o  The chemical industry is asking for a ‘sector-specific approach’ as energy, ETS, 
taxation, state aid, finance and environmental (toxicity) policies all impact the 
industry, and need to be aligned.  
o  Raised consistency between Eco-design, REACH, and Chemical Strategy for 
Sustainability (CSS). The CCS industry roundtable under DG GROW should be 
expanded to include energy aspects.  
 
o  Commissioner outlined collaboration among services to ensure consistency of 
policy plans, the initiatives to increase renewables (revision REDII, TEN-E, NECPs, 
offshore strategy), the long-term vision to create secure investment environment 
for industry, including certification and focus of eco-design on recycling.   
 
 

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