Trade war: 47 chemical plants threatened in France, 200 to 350 in the EU, according to France Chimie

Paris – The France-Chemistry association, which represents the 4,000 companies in the chemical industry, estimates that it could lose 47 sites in France and 200 to 350 across the European Union.

The context of trade conflict could “amplify” the temptation for dumping, that is to say, lowering prices, or even selling at a loss, to find new outlets for goods hindered by the new customs taxes imposed in the United States and China.

This would force Europe to close its least competitive factories that cannot align with the price reductions, explained Frédéric Gauchet, president of France Chemistry, to the press on the sidelines of its general assembly.

The ongoing “trade war” is the last straw for European chemistry, already very weakened by “global overcapacities,” higher “energy costs” in Europe, “regulatory burdens,” and “unfavorable taxation,” he said. (April 16, 2025)