Plastics Europe’s reaction to the European Commission’s Industrial Accelerator Act proposal

The following statement can be attributed to Virginia Janssens, Managing Director at Plastics Europe:

The Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) singles out plastics as a strategic sector for Europe. This is an important step towards rebuilding a competitive and investment-friendly environment for Europe's plastics ecosystem; an essential precondition for getting our circularity and low-carbon transition back on track.

The proposed measures on faster permitting and industrial acceleration areas, where manufacturing can be clustered and facilitated through easier access to infrastructure and energy, are very positive. We encourage co-legislators to work closely with industry to make sure that such projects move swiftly from words to reality. Speed and predictability are essential if Europe wants to keep its remaining industrial base.

Plastics producers stand ready to help meet the 70% Union origin requirements for electric vehicles, which contain plastics as a key component. Broader support for plastics lead markets will be needed to stimulate investments in low-carbon and circular plastics production contributing to a resilient and independent Europe.

Plastics Europe will work with policymakers and our value chain partners to strengthen the IAA. As a Steering Board member in the Critical Chemicals Alliance, for instance, we will help ensure the IAA can serve the urgent competitiveness needs of Europe's plastics industry.