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European Chemical Employers Group

ECEG

The European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) is a Brussels-based international not-for-profit association representing employers in the European chemical industry.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Elisa Roller (Director Secretariat-General)

21 Jan 2026 · Simplification in the area of EU social affairs

Meeting with Annalisa Corrado (Member of the European Parliament) and Association of Nordic Engineers

4 Mar 2025 · STEM and competitiveness

Meeting with Johan Danielsson (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Feb 2025 · Arbetsmarknadspolitik under mandatperioden

Response to Single Market Strategy 2025

31 Jan 2025

The European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) is the European social partner representing employers in the chemical, pharmaceutical, plastic and rubber industries. Please, find in attachment ECEG's contribution to the call for evidence.
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Meeting with Andrzej Buła (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Nov 2024 · Skills gap, VET, lifelong learning

Response to EU Talent Pool

31 Jan 2024

ECEG welcomes the swift steps taken by the European Commission to present instruments for addressing the challenge of labour shortage across the EU, including through the establishment of an EU Talent Pool. In the position paper in attachment, ECEG highlights the positive points of the initiative, as well as suggests some improvements to optimise the tool's effectiveness.
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Response to Communication on maximising the potential of talent mobility as part of the European Year of Skills

11 Oct 2023

As underlined in the talent mobility consultation, chemical industry is in dire need of skilled workforce which, alongside the attempts to increase the domestic potential, needs to attract international talent and facilitate its quick integration across the EU. The initiative proposed by the Commission shall result in the simplification of the processes of recognizing foreign quantifications. To achieve this goal a harmonized, transparent system needs to be put in place to assess the equivalence of qualifications both for regulated and non- regulated professions. The European Qualifications Framework (EQF), for example can cover this exercise by also ensuring seamless mobility within the EU as an essential step in this process. The currently existing formal recognition procedure for foreign professional qualifications is overly stringent and time consuming. To achieve a more straightforward recognition process, we need to improve information and counseling services, adopt digital and efficient recognition procedures, and encourage a pragmatic approach by the relevant authorities. Tailer made approaches to meet companies specific needs and regulated professions at the Member States levels shall be considered as well. For more details, please consult ECEGs position paper on skilled labour shortages.
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Response to European Sustainability Reporting Standards

7 Jul 2023

Dear Madam/Sir, European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) is a recognised social partner, representing employers' interests of the chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industries. We are submitting a 'partial' response, due to our representativeness and the field of work. We have commented on the proposed definitions/elaborations on 2 out of 4 social standards, i.e., own workforce and workers in the value chain. We refrained from affected communities and consumers and end users since we have no direct contact to companies. We thank you for your time and kind consideration of our feedback. With best regards, Emma Argutyan Director General, ECEG
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Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

16 Mar 2023 · CMRD6

Response to Strengthening social dialogue

14 Oct 2022

The European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) warmly welcomes this Commission’s initiative and believes that it will improve social dialogue at European level. Most of the processes and instruments for supporting European cross-industry and sectoral social dialogue were indeed designed 20-30 years ago, and the current initiative represents a great opportunity to reform, modernize and renovate this tool. The ECEG is a recognized EU social partner representing employers in the chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics and rubber industries. On 2004, it entered into formalised Social Dialogue on behalf of the European chemical industry, alongside with its social partner, the then European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers' Federation (EMCEF), which dissolved and merged into industriAll European Trade Union in 2012. The sectoral social dialogue now covers activities defined by NACE codes 20, 21 and 22, namely (1) manufacture of chemicals and chemical products, (2) manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations, (3) manufacture of rubber and plastic products. More information can be found at: https://bit.ly/3yhVALW. The ECEG and industriAll Europe agree on a Work Programme every 2 years, outlining main topics on which the sectoral social dialogue will focus. The latest one, from 2020 – 2022 focuses on: (1) digitalisation, including the aspects of data protection/performance monitoring, (2) gender equality and diversity, (3) health & safety, support for SMEs and impact on energy demand; (2) green deal; (3) plastics strategy; (4) ECHA action on microplastics; (5) carcinogenic substances; and (6) pharmaceuticals and the environment. Moreover, recurrent topics in the sectoral social dialogue are: sector attractiveness and LLL. The full Work Programme 2020 – 2022 can be found here: https://bit.ly/3C1Frva. Since 2004, the chemical social partners signed 35 joint texts, including a framework agreement on competence profiles for process operators and first line supervisors in the chemical industry (2012). All the social dialogue documents can be consulted on the related Commission’s database at: https://bit.ly/3RwpqDe. Besides the joint texts, the social partners have also conducted several EU funded projects, under the Social Dialogue budget line. The already concluded ones include: (1) the impacts of digitalization in the chemical industry (2018 - 2019); (2) the mobility of young workers in the chemical industry (2015 - 2017); (3) the EU chemical industry social partners roadmap 2015-2020 (2014 - 2016); (4) equal participation of women in the industry (2012 - 2013); (5) active aging in the industry (2011 -2013), (6) the effects of democratic change in the industry (2009 - 2011). Currently, social partners are involved in the project “On the Road to Climate Neutrality 2050 – the Role of Social Partners in the Decarbonisation of the Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Rubber and Plastics Industries” (2021 – 2023). ECEG would like to use this opportunity and kindly point out also some shortcomings: - social partners are often called to contribute to the EU law (consultations, hearings, etc.) with very short notice and deadlines, at times even less than a working week. - it is not always clear whether sectoral representatives’ views are taken on board, while there is often the feeling that consultations are “pro forma”. - better distinction between cross-sectoral and sectoral social dialogues needs improvement, - better information sharing on what Sectoral Social Dialogue represents among other DGs, beyond the DG Employment. The ECEG hopes that the Commission’s Communication on sectoral social dialogue at European level will modernize the tool, addressing the challenges outlined above.
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Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

13 Sept 2022 · social affairs, social dialogue

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

7 Jun 2021 · Pact for skills: re/upskilling needs for a successful green and digital transition in the energy intensive industries ecosystem

Response to Revision of EU legislation on registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals

1 Jun 2021

Brussels, 01 June 2021 European Chemical Employers Group’s submission on REACH Revision Inception Impact Assessment ECEG welcomes the opportunity to provide suggestions for the REACH Revision Inception Impact Assessment public consultation. We had already an opportunity to express our views on REACH in chemical social partners’ joint statement on Chemical Strategy on Sustainability (CSS). There we emphasized that the European Commission had repeatedly confirmed that the standards embedded in the European regulatory framework for chemicals, chemical products and protection of health and environment were among the highest in the world. In particular, that REACH had become a model for regulatory systems worldwide. However, we emphasized that there was a room for simplification and enhanced transparency in order to meet the European Commission’s goal on “One substance one assessment”. In addition to the above, we have enlisted three suggestions that we believe would help to improve the current legislation. 1. Policy and legislative coherence ECEG believes, that policy and legislative coherence would ensure predicable environment for investments in the EU market. It has already a strong legislative backbone (reaching more than 40 pieces of EU chemicals legislation) and ensures sustainable industry. In order to ensure further competitiveness, while avoiding investment leakage and job cuts, we need a regulatory framework that is coherent with an increasingly complex policy environment with multiple objectives (circularity, carbon neutrality, public health, safeguarding European competitiveness, etc.). The upcoming REACH revision is also an opportunity to make it more efficient, consistent and coherent with other pieces of EU legislation that cover product safety, health and environment. 2. REACH and OSH interplay ECEG is convinced, that REACH revision also needs to reflect on better use of the existing data that would strengthen OSH both when applied to value chains and workers’ safety. In the first instance, we refer to the improved communication on the safe use of chemicals along the value chains. In the second - to the interplay between REACH and OSH, where both legislations are complementary for achieving a high level of workers’ protection. Currently, these two propose different natures of risks assessments (RA). For instance: exposure scenarios (ES) generated by registrants in the context of REACH, even with the support of sector specific information, are by nature “generic”, whereas the OSH RA are intended to include for example workplace conditions and task specific information. 3. Enforcement ECEG calls for an improved and coordinated enforcement to ensure safety of imports entering the EU. Applying stringent rules in the EU, while allowing imports that don’t meet the EU requirements are not only detrimental for the H&S of downstream users, the competitiveness of our industry but also exclude the level playing field among the EU and non-EU made products. In this context, we welcome the Single Market Enforcement Action Plan, where, amongst others, plans to invest in labelling and traceability (action 16) are foreseen. We hope that the actions announced in the action plan, specifically on traceability and control of traded products will get in force ahead or in parallel with the revised REACH to make sure that the EU based companies do not suffer from uneven competition and non-compliance of the imported products with the EU rules.  
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Meeting with Ana Carla Pereira (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit), Anouk Faber (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and

12 Apr 2021 · EPSR, Directive on the adequate minimum wage, Reskilling and upskilling ahead of the Porto Social Summit

Meeting with Stella Kyriakides (Commissioner) and

11 Nov 2020 · Meeting with EU Social Partners on the Pharmaceutical Strategy and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

10 Nov 2020 · minimum wage initiative, skills agenda

Response to Strengthening the principle of equal pay between men and women through pay transparency

31 Jan 2020

The European Chemical Employers Group (hereafter: ECEG) is the European Social Partner, representing interests of the employers from the chemicals, pharmaceuticals, rubber and plastics industries. As a Brussels-based social affairs organisation it is a consultative body for the European Commission, Parliament and other stakeholders. Through its 18 members, ECEG represents approximately 3.3 million direct employees in more than 94.000 enterprises. The sector is one of the biggest and most dynamic industries in the EU. Please, find attached the ECEG's reply to the the Commission roadmap on the inception Impact Assessment on "Strengthening the principle of equal pay between men and women on pay transparency"
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Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

2 Dec 2019 · Exchange on the ECEG’s priorities and topical issues for the upcoming years.

Response to More efficient law-making in social policy: identification of areas for an enhanced move to qualified majority voting

23 Jan 2019

As the recognized EU sectoral social partner, representing employers of the chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industries, the European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) has produced its own view on the President Juncker’s 2018 letter of intent on making use of the so-called passerelle clauses in certain areas of social policy, shifting decision making from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV) or from special legislative procedure to ordinary legislative procedure. In general, social policy initiatives proposed on the EU level tend to interfere with the subsidiarity principle, which we find very alarming. Having this in mind, we have always supported the decision-making process under unanimity as an association that represents employers’ interests in the chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industries in the majority of the EU Member States. Unanimity has ensured that all our members have had equal rights and equal representation whereas the enhanced use of qualified majority voting via so-called passerelle clauses would automatically undermine the political stance and political will of the “small” Member States. Legislation in the social field, moreover subjects related to work, future of work, etc. are stipulated in the national labour law of each Member State. What we see with the current legislative proposals, especially after the introduction of the European Pillar of Social Rights is that more and more topics of a national prerogative are being treated on the EU level without taking into account the repercussions on the national level and on national labour law – be it related to the collective bargaining, employment contracts, working hours, obligations of employers to provide written information to the employees, etc. Furthermore, with making exceptions in the field of social related issues, the European Commission opens the “Pandora box” for more exceptions in the future. We do not support this initiative and believe that the unanimity vote has to be protected to allow all Member States equal footing in decision-making processes related to social issues. We thank you for taking our position into consideration and remain at your disposal for further elaboration if needed. The full text of the ECEG's position on the initiative on more efficient law-making in social policy can be found in attachment.
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Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

6 Jul 2016 · Occupational Health and Safety

Meeting with Raquel Lucas (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

28 Apr 2016 · Meeting with ECEG focused on general social and employment matters. ECEG presented their current work on sustainable employment, digitalisation and youth mobility project

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen) and European Chemical Industry Council

25 Feb 2015 · Employment related issues in the chemical sector