European bioplastics industry want duty-free ethanol imports to compete with Latin America

In Belgium, the European bioplastics industry has asked the European Commission to secure duty-free ethanol imports specifically for chemical intermediates in order to better compete with Latin American producers like Braskem who have nearly unlimited access to cheaper ethanol supplies. The European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) brought up the issue during the recent EU-Mercosur trade negotiations in hopes of gaining access to supplies without upsetting the ethanol fuel market.