Social dialogue in the Chemical industry sector covers activities related to NACE (Rev.2) codes 20, 21 and 22, which are:
- manufacture of chemicals and chemical products,
- manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations,
- manufacture of rubber and plastic products.
The sectoral social dialogue committee has been created in 2004. The EU chemical sector employs over 3.5 million people (about 1,8% of the EU workforce) in about 89 000 companies making it the second largest manufacturing sector (Eurofound Representativeness Study, 2024).
The sector faces the following main challenge:
- global competition, putting in jeopardy the industry and employment in the sector
- the price and availability of energy and raw materials
- the green and digital transition, as emphasised in the Chemicals Transition Pathway and in the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability
- the attractivity of the sector for new and skilled workers, as well as skills, lifelong learning and education – in particular STEM subjects.
Workers' organisations
Employers' organisations
Key areas and projects
The current work programme focuses on:
- industrial policy
- training and education
- health and safety
- labour shortages and the role of migration
- chemical industry’s image in its green/climatic transition.
Activities and meetings
Check the library entries for this sectoral social dialogue committee.
Achievements/Joint texts
Check the social dialogue texts database