DEZA, a.s. part of Czech Antwerp!

As a chemical company directly affected by the declining competitiveness of Czech industry, we took part in the Czech Antwerp conference and fully support this initiative. 

The Alliance of Energy-Intensive Industries (AENO), representing hundreds of industrial companies with a combined turnover of CZK 1.2 trillion and more than 400,000 employees, submitted a declaration to the government calling for an urgent solution to the critical situation facing Czech industry. 

Representatives of the chemical, steel, glass, ceramics, paper and construction materials sectors are demanding concrete steps to reduce energy prices and emission allowance costs. The goal is to bring electricity prices down to EUR 50/MWh, gas to EUR 20/MWh, and EU ETS allowances below EUR 30/t.

Hard data show that deindustrialization is already underway: production declined by 15–20% between 2018 and 2024, investments dropped by 90% between 2022 and 2025, and the pace of plant closures has accelerated significantly. European producers are increasingly being replaced by imports from Asia and the United States. 

Industry is calling for compensation of indirect costs, reductions in taxes and distribution fees, the preservation of free allowances, and greater predictability of the ETS system. Protecting the European market from unfair competition is also crucial. Government representatives have expressed their willingness to seek swift solutions at both national and European levels.
The conclusion is clear: without competitive energy prices, a strong and resilient European industry cannot be secured.