Last week’s UN Conference confirmed that curbs on the production of virgin plastics are clearly on the way. Plastics companies have the technology and expertise needed to make advanced recycling of plastics a major success. They now need to accelerate their commitment if they want to remain a growth industry for the future.
Chemicals and the Economy
Businesses face difficult 2 months for Great Britain – N Ireland trade
The N Ireland Protocol continues to be in the news. It was signed nearly 2 years ago, and described by UK premier Boris Johnson as being “oven-ready“. But as the House of Lords reported last week: “Addressing the implications for Northern Ireland and Ireland of UK withdrawal from the EU has been the most fraught, […]
Your A to Z Guide to the reality of Brexit after 31 December
(Picture credit Shutterstock) A. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty set out the rules for leaving the European Union. As with most negotiations, it assumed the leaving country would present its proposals for the post-withdrawal period – which would then be finalised with the other members. But the UK government has little experience of trade negotiations, as these […]
Your A to Z Guide to the Brexit trade negotiations
A. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty set out the rules for leaving the European Union. As with most negotiations, it assumed the leaving country would present its proposals for the post-withdrawal period – which would then be finalised with the other members. The UK government, however, has still not yet set out its post-Brexit […]
UK, EU27 and EEA businesses need to start planning for a No Deal Brexit on 31 October
New UK premier, Boris Johnson, said last week that the UK must leave the EU by 31 October, “do or die, come what may”. This means UK, EU27 and EEA companies now have less than 100 days to prepare for a UK No Deal Brexit. That’s less than 70 working days – and even less […]
Wishful thinking dominates Brexit debate as the UK heads towards No Deal on 31 October
One of the best things I learned at school was the simple mnemonic: “To ASSUME can make an ASS of U and ME” Unfortunately, most of those involved in the UK’s Brexit debate have failed to remember it. As a result, it seems likely that the UK will end up leaving the European Union on 31 […]
Companies and investors have just 30 working days left to prepare for a No Deal Brexit
Companies across the UK and EU27 are suddenly realising there are now just 30 working days until the UK will likely abandon its 45-year trading relationship with the EU, and start to trade on WTO terms. If this happens, every supply chain involving a movement between the UK and EU27 will change. And all those […]
Your ‘A-Z Guide’ to the Brexit Negotiations
“The UK is now facing a national crisis”, according to Margaret Thatcher’s former Defence Secretary, Michael Portillo, speaking to a dinner in London on Thursday night. Brexit continues to tear the UK apart, and places the economy at greater and greater risk. On Thursday, premier Theresa May had unveiled her draft Withdrawal Agreement with the […]
G7 Summit shows leaders are forgetting the lesson of the 1930s
G7 Summits began in the crisis years of the mid-1970s, bringing Western leaders together to tackle the big issues of the day – oil price crises, the Cold War with the Soviet Union and many others. Then, as stability returned in the 1980s with the BabyBoomer-led economic SuperCycle, they became forward-looking. The agenda moved to […]
The global economy’s best leading indicator forecasts a downturn
If you want to know what is happening to the global economy, the chemical industry will provide the answers. It has an excellent correlation with IMF data, and also benefits from the fact it has no “political bias”. It simply tells us what is happening in real-time in the world’s 3rd largest industry. The chart […]
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