European chemical companies steel for disruptive Brexit, regulatory challenges

Brussels

CHEMICAL companies are preparing for a potentially disruptive "Brexit" as the UK withdrawal from the European Union threatens an integrated market underpinning more than 40 billion euros (S$59.4 billion) a year in two-way trade.

Marco Mensink, director general of the European Chemical Industry Council representing manufacturers such as BASF SE, Akzo Nobel NV and Dupont Co, said that the UK and its EU partners are starting two years of talks on Britain's departure with widely differing positions. That is a particular risk for the chemicals industry because of the intensity of its cross-Channel shipments, he said.