The European Sustainable Chemicals Conference

#ChemConf24

This event has now taken place!

Thank you to all speakers, sponsors & delegates who joined us. We look forward to seeing you at the 2025 edition. In the meantime, should you wish to find out more about speaking and sponsorship opportunities at next year’s event, please contact anne-lise.simon@forum-europe.com

About

The European Sustainable Chemicals Conference 2024 took place on 19 November and welcomed 15 expert speakers and 106 delegates to listen to the opening keynote session and two interesting panel discussions. The conference provided a platform for policymakers, industry leaders, national authorities, and civil society experts to discuss critical issues surrounding the future of chemicals policy in Europe. Central themes included the future of the REACH regulation, the ongoing challenge of how to approach PFAS in Europe, and, looking ahead to the new European Commission and Parliament mandate, how to balance sustainability and human health objectives with the competitiveness of European economies. Discussions addressed the complexities and challenges the chemicals industry faces and explored innovative solutions for a safe and sustainable future.

Event Highlights

Event Photos

Key Themes

REACH regulation for 2030 and beyond

PFAS trajectory in Europe

Ensuring a safe, competitive and sustainable future

Chemicals life-cycle management & essential use

Agenda

***Times are listed in CET ***

The European Sustainable Chemicals Conference 2024
2024-11-19
09:00 - 09:05
Welcome and Introduction
09:05 - 09:45
Keynote Speeches
Keynote Speeches image
Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea
Director for Circular Economy, DG ENVI, European Commission
Keynote Speeches image
Nobuaki Mori
CEO & Chairman, AGC Chemicals Europe
Keynote Speeches image
Paul Adamson
Chairman, Forum Europe
09:45 - 11:00
Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe

This panel will examine how chemical policy can be aligned with Europe’s goals for competitiveness, health, and sustainability through 2030 and beyond. It will discuss how to support the European chemicals industry in achieving the clean and digital transitions, as well as strategic autonomy, while ensuring regulatory simplification and efficiency. Key topics will include traceability and transparency, substitution planning, the field of nanomaterials and how future innovations might be integrated into future chemical policy reviews, global regulatory alignment, and the impact on businesses operating in Europe and worldwide.

Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe image
Giuseppe Casella
Head of REACH Unit, DG GROW, European Commission
Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe image
Steven Van de Broeck
Executive Director Product Stewardship, CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Council)
Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe image
Darren Abrahams
Partner, Steptoe
Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe image
Julian Schenten
Senior Law and Policy Advisor, ClientEarth
Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe image
Marianne Rosborg
Head of Environmental Affairs and Product Health & Safety, ROCKWOOL Group
Session 1: Chemicals Policy 2.0 – Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Europe image
Alise Askinezere
Director, Brussels, Brunswick Group
11:00 - 11:30
Networking Break
11:30 - 12:45
Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation?

PFAS currently play an essential role in a range of sectors critical to the green and digital transition. They extend through manufacturing, semiconductors and other electronics, water purification processes, textiles, food packaging, automotive and aerospace. They are, however, also problematic because they are persistent in the environment and pose potential adverse health risks.

 

This session will discuss the EU’s approach to regulating PFAS, including its efforts to restrict and phase out their use in non-essential applications and the development of safer alternatives. It will explore the challenges posed by regulatory fragmentation across member states, as well as other key topics including essential use criteria, lifecycle management and strategies for addressing PFAS contamination in the environment.

 

The session will also highlight ongoing research and innovation initiatives, remediation and cleanup strategies, and the importance of international cooperation and public awareness in managing PFAS risks.

Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation? image
Charles Wijnker
Charles Wijnker, Director Environment and Safety, Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation? image
Sidsel Dyekjær
Senior Chemicals Policy Advisor, ChemSec
Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation? image
Martin Leonhard
Executive Director Government Affairs, Karl Storz
Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation? image
Kirsten Metz
Senior Manager Chemicals and Environmental Policy, Sustainability & Environment Division, ZVEI
Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation? image
Elisa Consoli
REACH & Chemicals Manager, ASD Europe - Aerospace & Defence Industries
Session 2: PFAS – What’s the European Regulatory Trajectory and What Role for Innovation? image
Ana Berdzenishvili
Junior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre
Select date to see events.

confirmed so far

Speakers

Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea

Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea

Director for Circular Economy,
DG ENVI
European Commission

Nobuaki Mori

Nobuaki Mori

Chairman & CEO
AGC Chemicals Europe

Giuseppe Casella

Giuseppe Casella

Head of REACH Unit,
DG GROW
European Commission

Charles Wijnker

Charles Wijnker

Director of Environment and Safety,
Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

Steven Van de Broeck

Steven Van de Broeck

Executive Director,
Product Stewardship
CEFIC

Sidsel Dyekjær

Sidsel Dyekjær

Senior Chemicals Policy Advisor
ChemSec

Darren Abrahams

Darren Abrahams

Partner
Steptoe

Martin Leonhard

Martin Leonhard

Executive Director Government Affairs
Karl Storz

Kirsten Metz

Kirsten Metz

Senior Manager Chemicals and Environmental Policy, Sustainability & Environment Division
ZVEI

Julian Schenten

Julian Schenten

Senior Law and Policy Advisor
ClientEarth

Marianne Rosborg

Marianne Rosborg

Head of Environmental Affairs and Product Health & Safety
ROCKWOOL Group

Elisa Consoli

Elisa Consoli

REACH & Chemicals Manager
ASD Europe - Aerospace & Defence Industries

Paul Adamson

Paul Adamson

Chairman
Forum Europe

Alise Askinezere

Alise Askinezere

Director, Brussels
Brunswick Group

Ana Berdzenishvili

Ana Berdzenishvili

Junior Policy Analyst,
European Policy Centre

Sponsors

AGC logo for website dimensions
ROCKWOOL Group
Corbion logo for website dimensions
Brunswick

work with us

Sponsorship Opportunities

Exclusive speaking positions

Your organisation can contribute to the discussion

Engaging and interactive format

Engage in a fully immersive and interactive debate with decision makers, businesses and policymakers

EU and global outreach

Convey your message to a broad and international audience

Networking opportunities

Connect with your fellow attendees during coffee and lunch breaks throughout the event

Visibility opportunities

Ensure maximum visibility through branding on the event website and marketing activities

Exhibition and demos area

Showcase your products and solutions or share a position paper with the audience at an onsite tabletop stand

Forum Europe's

Recent Events

find out more

Get In Touch

Event Venue

Sofitel Brussels Europe
1 Place Jourdan, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium

Contact us

Melanie Thomas

Event Manager

sustainable-chemicals@forum-europe.com

Stay up to date

Subscribe

Sign up to receive updates on our upcoming policy events.

© All Rights Reserved.

Thank you for your registration

A copy of your booking information has been sent via email and copies sent to all the delegates that you have registered, along with further information regarding the event.

Should you have any questions or require any further information in the meantime then please contact Karolina Stankiewicz at ai-conference@forum-europe.com