To my deepest regret, I was unable to attend the Annual Meeting this year. I would like to thank everyone who attended and made this #EPCA56 an exceptional reunion. It would have been a great pleasure to spend some time with friends who are so dedicated to real business and cooperation. Having missed Berlin I am even more looking forward to next year’s edition.

The uncertainty and volatility of the past year have disrupted all of us globally. As I look back on the last months, I am proud of what EPCA members and the team have accomplished so far, the professionalism of the staff, and most importantly, our collective commitment to be an enabler of sustainable transformation by doing our best for the European Petrochemical Industry, every day.

“All” is the keyword to achieve our goal. A simple three-letter word that forces us to look at everything we do, evaluate, adjust, and re-focus to enable a better and more sustainable petrochemical industry. Being focused on “all” has never, nor should it ever be a faux definer of our association.

Our industry is actively addressing this important transformation in very challenging times – particularly in Europe. Prices for natural gas and power have moved to new levels, inflation and interest rates are picking up, economies are slowing down, and demand is depressed as well.

We have seen difficult times in the past, and we have mastered these challenges in the past. As much as I expect difficult months ahead, as much do I expect that we will overcome these difficult times as well.

As seen in our last Annual Meeting, our industry is committed and in a positive fighting spirit. I am sure we will see this also when the going gets rougher and we will particularly feel this during our next Annual Meeting in 2023.
Stay tuned, the dates and location of #EPCA57 will be announced early December.

Enjoy reading this last Newsletter of 2022.

All the best,

Hartwig Michels
President - The European Petrochemical Association (EPCA)