VinylPlus Joins the Critical Chemicals Alliance
VinylPlus® has been accepted by the European Commission (DG GROW) as a member of the Critical Chemicals Alliance (CCA), a key initiative under the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan.
The Alliance was officially launched at its first General Assembly on 13 January 2026, where VinylPlus® was represented by its Managing Director, Charlotte Röber. The meeting outlined the objectives, structure and next steps of the Alliance, which aims to strengthen the competitiveness, resilience and modernisation of Europe’s chemical industry.
Chemical Value Chains Under Pressure in Europe
The establishment of the Critical Chemicals Alliance comes at a time when the European chemical industry — including the PVC value chain — is facing significant pressure. High energy and feedstock costs, global overcapacity, trade distortions and declining investment have led to capacity reductions and plant closures across Europe, particularly in energy-intensive upstream production.
Against this backdrop, the Alliance seeks to safeguard critical chemical production in Europe and support coordinated solutions to address structural challenges affecting European value chains.
VinylPlus Participation in Three Working Groups
The Critical Chemicals Alliance will carry out its work through four dedicated working groups, each composed of 15–20 experts and operating through a co-creation process in close cooperation with the European Commission. The groups will meet monthly from February 2026.
VinylPlus has applied for, and been accepted into, three working groups:
- Trade
- Modernisation and Investments
- Critical Molecules and Critical Sites
These working groups will focus on topics such as trade monitoring and defence, investment and modernisation of critical production assets, and the identification of chemical molecules and sites that are essential for Europe’s economy and strategic autonomy.
Contributing to Europe’s Competitiveness and Resilience
Through its participation in the Critical Chemicals Alliance, VinylPlus aims to actively contribute to discussions on competitiveness, investment conditions and the long-term resilience of European chemical value chains, including PVC.
The work of the Alliance is expected to deliver concrete recommendations by mid-2026, supporting policy development and coordinated action at EU and Member State level.
VinylPlus will keep its members informed as the work of the Alliance progresses.
