THE EUROPEAN CHEMICAL EMPLOYERS GROUP IS COMMITTED TO A STRONG EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN A EUROPEAN SOCIAL MARKET ECONOMY

The ECEG welcomes President Juncker’s Statement on the State of the Union of 14 September 2016.

We share his priority of a more social Europe, a Europe in which more jobs are created, unemployment is reduced, and intelligent flexibility is applied to support growth and a competitive European economy.

The ECEG agrees with Commissioner Juncker’s statement that it is up to the European Union and its member states to create the right environment to attract businesses and ensure investment for the future. We underline the need for a fair playing field to ensure a strong European chemical industry in a European social market economy and fighting abuse and social dumping. Therefore, we are convinced that the EU legal framework on posting of workers is appropriate and does not need to be revised.

In line with our joint social partner declaration on energy and climate policy of November 2015, we believe that the EU Member States need to speed up the ratification of the Paris Agreement to maintain Europe’s credibility and pioneering role on the fight against climate change.

We share President Juncker’s call to “to work for a Europe which empowers our citizens and our economy” and to shape the digital transformation, which is linked to our latest ECEG position on the impact of digital transformation on our sector.

By creating more jobs, attracting private investments, ensuring a resilient financial system, and investing in young people, for instance by improving the youth guarantee and creating opportunities in the sector, we work on delivering results for a prosperous social Europe.

The ECEG looks forward to sharing these commitments, assuming our responsibility as sectoral social partner and delivering on a true added value for the European Union and its citizens.