The European Union's new Critical Chemicals Alliance (CCA), which has been presented as a strategic response to concerns about Europe's industrial resilience and competitiveness, has become a front for industries pushing for deregulation and relaxed pollution rules, according to a watchdog report published on Monday.
Launched in January 2026 with the European Commission's endorsement, the CCA includes chemical giants like BASF, TotalEnergies, and Avantium. It was officially meant to identify chemical substances and production sites deemed "critical" to the European economy, potentially unlocking billions in future public support and state aid.
But new research published by the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and European Environmental Bureau (EEB) makes a case that the EU's competitiveness narrative around chemical production is overwhelmingly shaped by the very industry it is meant to oversee.
"Since the Alliance's launch, it has been clear that the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) is in the driving seat of this initiative, with the Commission's industry department unconcerned by the risks of the process being unduly influenced by corporate interests," reads the CEO-EEB report.
