BARCELONA (ICIS)--Following an EU quota deal struck with China on hybrid electric vehicle imports, the region’s chemical industry is hopeful of stronger protection for chemicals from soaring levels of imports.

• China chemical imports to EU rose 35% year-on-year January-August 2026
• EU chemical safeguard proposals possible by December
• Hybrid car quotas could support European chemical demand
• Anti-dumping investigations face delays and circumvention risks
• Trade data could help identify imports rerouted through intermediaries
• Blanket quotas risk penalising legitimate trading partners
• China’s economic and property downturn adds pressure to export
• Exploiting European oil and gas alongside renewables could help tackle energy crisis
• Better electricity interconnections could unlock renewable power supplies
• Policymakers face pressure to address carbon costs

In this ICIS Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting.

At the 60th annual European Petrochemicals Association (EPCA) meeting last week, discussion around the traditional sustainability agenda has shifted into a broader conversation about industrial resilience.

• Speakers argue for a return to a balanced approach that considers environmental performance, financial performance and customer and societal needs
• Disruptions to global trade routes and rising security concerns are accelerating debates around Europe's industrial self-sufficiency.
• Consensus is increasing that these developments are creating a "new normal" for the chemical industry, although its final shape remains unclear
• A recurring theme through the conference was the perceived gap between policymakers' rhetoric and actions
  
  In this Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham sits down in Vienna's Stadtpark with ICIS Insight Editor Tom Brown and Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting.

BARCELONA (ICIS)--Europe’s petrochemical industry is in steep decline and the region risks losing access to locally-produced critical raw materials unless stronger, faster action is taken by political leaders and regulators.

• Increasing reliance in Europe on imported critical raw materials for healthcare, defence and industrial value chains
• Europe chemicals faces existential threat
• Middle East war gave temporary uplift in Europe, but now imports flowing from other regions
• INEOS mothballing UK plants due to sky-high energy costs
• INEOS Project One expected online towards the end of 2027
• Little support and tough permitting environment in Europe
• Much stronger protection needed from unfair imports, including possible global or regional import quotas
• Create fewer but stronger regional leaders

In this ICIS Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews Rob Ingram, CEO of INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe, presdient of Plastics Europe and chairman of Petrochemcials Europe.

LONDON (ICIS)--Europe oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets continue to face high cost uncertainty and volatility as Q4 beckons. Sentiment in the market remains widely mixed after a subdued start to the autumn on the purchasing side. As 2027 contract discussions commence, there is a renewed focus on sourcing origin, particularly for products which were more exposed to Middle East origin export constraints this year, as well as the close attention being paid to anti dumping duty investigations still ongoing in some cases.

Glycol ethers editor Cameron Birch speaks to oxo-alcohols and butyl acetate editor Marion Boakye and acrylate esters editor Mathew Jolin-Beech about current market conditions and expectations for the near future.

BARCELONA (ICIS)--As Europe’s chemical industry battles for survival, a BASF tie up with Evonik could form a regional leader capable of competing in a chronically oversupplied global market.

• Complementary portfolios could create integrated champion
• Regional leaders offer scale and broader market resilience
• Local-for-local manufacturing is replacing globalisation
• European capacity closures reflect severe cost disadvantages
• Global overcapacity may keep worsening through 2028
• Political support remains essential for Europe’s chemical industry survival

In this Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews ICIS Insight Editor Tom Brown and Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting.

As the Middle East war continues, many chemical distributors in Europe are growing their sales and margins by helping customers maintain security of supply through this period of intense disruption.

• Middle East disruption tightens global chemical supply
• Higher uncertainty supports stronger distributor margins
• Customers buy chemicals more on a hand-to-mouth basis
• Stockholding helps distributors ensure reliable supply
• Value creation outweighs volume growth in Europe
• Local-for-local strategies gain importance amid geopolitical risks
• China now holds nearly half of chemical capacity
• European chemical capacity continues to shrink
• Distributors cautious about new Chinese supplier relationships
• Specialty chemicals demand deep customer partnerships

In this Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting.

Recorded after the 2026 European Association of Chemical Distributors (Fecc) annual congress in Vienna, Austria.

This year has seen record price highs, then plunging lows, as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) were rocked by the US-Iran war and choppy Red Sea logistics disruption.

After a brief hiatus, the European PE & PP podcast returns, as ICIS senior editors unpick what the Middle Eastern war has meant for September pricing and what we expect for the rest of the year.

ICIS senior editor Vicky Ellis is joined by fellow senior editors for Europe, Ben Lake and Marta Fern, Middle East editor Nadim Salamoun and India market specialist Aswin Kondapally.

The spread of conflict across the Middle East threatens another period of extreme market volatility, as players face up to increasing disruption with strategic reserves much lower than at the start of the conflict.

• Seizure of the port of Mokha and Perim Island in the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, threatens the closure a second key Gulf trade route
• Global diesel supply critically short with Russian and Gulf refineries severely impaired
• The magnitude of closed-off crude supplies and constrained oil product availability increases the risk of a 1973-74-style fuel crisis
• Higher prices, tighter supply adds fuel to inflation, which could skyrocket over the next 12 months
• Weaker US polyethylene margins and a slide back to negative margins in northeast Asia point to limited pricing power and weak demand
• Inflation and energy costs could further hit consumer demand as northern hemispheric winter approaches
We also mark the passing of friend and contributor John Richardson. If listeners have memories of John they would like to share please get in touch at ICISnews.Europe@icis.com