Cefic Indicates European Chemical Output Down 2.4% in 2025
2026-3-13
Recently, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) released its latest chemical trends report, showing that European chemical production fell by 2.4% in 2025, remaining 11% below the 2014–2019 average. This decline was unchanged from 2024 and slightly higher than the previous forecast of 2%.
By country, the Netherlands recorded the largest drop at 4.9%. Germany decreased by 3.3%. France and Belgium fell by 2.9% and 1.3% respectively. Only Spain achieved slight growth, at less than 1%.
By product category, petrochemicals were hit hardest by the economic downturn, with output falling by more than 10%; polymer production dropped by 6.9%, and basic inorganic chemicals by 2.7%. Most specialty chemical subsectors declined by 2%, among which dyestuffs and pigments fell by 7%. At present, European chemical capacity utilization is at a historic low, well below the EU long-term average and also significantly lower than that of the United States.
The difficulties in the European chemical industry stem mainly from weak demand, high energy costs and economic uncertainty. In the first 11 months of 2025, sales in the European chemical industry fell by 3.2% year-on-year, and chemical product prices decreased by 0.5% for the full year.
In trade, from January to October 2025, European chemical exports fell by 3.8% year-on-year, with a trade surplus of EUR 31.3 billion, a decrease of EUR 7.3 billion compared with the same period in 2024. Specialty chemicals were the largest export category, with exports worth EUR 61.7 billion. Petrochemicals were the largest import category, at EUR 58.5 billion. Both specialty chemicals and consumer chemicals recorded surpluses of over EUR 24 billion. Petrochemicals posted the largest deficit at EUR 19.2 billion. Overall, the European chemical industry remains in a phase of weak demand, high costs, and competitive pressure.
By country, the Netherlands recorded the largest drop at 4.9%. Germany decreased by 3.3%. France and Belgium fell by 2.9% and 1.3% respectively. Only Spain achieved slight growth, at less than 1%.
By product category, petrochemicals were hit hardest by the economic downturn, with output falling by more than 10%; polymer production dropped by 6.9%, and basic inorganic chemicals by 2.7%. Most specialty chemical subsectors declined by 2%, among which dyestuffs and pigments fell by 7%. At present, European chemical capacity utilization is at a historic low, well below the EU long-term average and also significantly lower than that of the United States.
The difficulties in the European chemical industry stem mainly from weak demand, high energy costs and economic uncertainty. In the first 11 months of 2025, sales in the European chemical industry fell by 3.2% year-on-year, and chemical product prices decreased by 0.5% for the full year.
In trade, from January to October 2025, European chemical exports fell by 3.8% year-on-year, with a trade surplus of EUR 31.3 billion, a decrease of EUR 7.3 billion compared with the same period in 2024. Specialty chemicals were the largest export category, with exports worth EUR 61.7 billion. Petrochemicals were the largest import category, at EUR 58.5 billion. Both specialty chemicals and consumer chemicals recorded surpluses of over EUR 24 billion. Petrochemicals posted the largest deficit at EUR 19.2 billion. Overall, the European chemical industry remains in a phase of weak demand, high costs, and competitive pressure.