The European Plastics Converters (EuPC) is raising urgent concerns over the European Commission's plan to impose tariffs on U.S. plastic polymer imports, warning that such a move could jeopardize Europe's plastics converting industry and the 1.6 million jobs it sustains.
Paolo Bochicchio, managing director of EuPC, emphasized the potential repercussions. He pointed to the fact that tariffs could ignite a cascade of price hikes, "diminishing our competitiveness and leading to job losses across the EU."
"They could seriously undermine Europe’s industrial and environmental goals,” he warned.
The possible impacts are multifaceted and severe. Firstly, raw material costs for 95 percent of the industry, which comprises small and medium-sized enterprises, could skyrocket. Simultaneously, the market might see a rise in imports of cheaper finished plastic products, further weakening EU manufacturers. Moreover, thousands of jobs and essential supply chains in sectors like food, medical, transport and construction could be at risk. Additionally, investments in recycling and circular initiatives could falter, undermining Europe’s green ambitions.
In response, EuPC has a clear message for Brussels: abolish the proposed tariffs, provide small- and medium-size enterprises with cost-offsets, ensure a stable supply of raw materials, and if tariffs must proceed, establish a level playing field that includes tariffs on finished goods as well.
Bochicchio further stressed, “This is not the time to destabilize an industry that’s key to Europe's resilience, sustainability, and global competitiveness."
The call is for strategic support and fair competition to safeguard the future of Europe's plastics sector.