15% tariffs: a new scenario that threatens European industrial competitiveness

The Spanish Chemical Industry Business Federation (FEIQUE) and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) have publicly expressed concern over the new tariff agreement signed between the European Union and the United States, warning of its negative effects on both the chemical industry and the broader Spanish business fabric.

Both organizations agree that the agreement, which includes the imposition of a fixed 15% tariff on all European exports, jeopardizes legal certainty, distorts international trade, and negatively impacts business competitiveness. In the case of the chemical sector, FEIQUE emphasizes that the impact will be especially severe on basic products and commodities, given their greater exposure to global competition.

With an export volume to the U.S. of €3.505 billion and an import flow of €8.129 billion (data from 2024), the Spanish chemical industry maintains a strong commercial relationship with U.S. Any change in market access conditions affects not only direct exchanges but also indirect European flows with the U.S. as the final destination.

FEIQUE and CEOE are calling for progress toward sectoral“zero-for-zero” tariff agreements and for intensified institutional efforts to defend multilateral trade. They also urge the European Commission to implement structural policies to address other limiting factors, such as high energy prices and regulatory overload, which in the case of the chemical industry could represent a 12% loss in added value.

Both entities conclude that only through a strategic, coordinated, and structured approach will it be possible to ensure the competitive balance of European companies in the new global landscape.