2023-08-01 15:28:39
The biggest chemical infrastructure project in Europe for 25 years should see the light of day in the port of Antwerp. The investment is colossal since it is a sum of four billion euros. But the project gets stuck. At issue: a question of environmental permits.
And the pressure exerted by the British multinational Ineos on the Flemish authorities, and even on the federal government, is great. So much so that at the end of last week, Jim Ratcliffe, CEO of Ineos, came discreetly to Antwerp to meet Jan Jambon, the Flemish government and the mayor of the city, Bart De Wever. Prime Minister De Croo was also present.
The stakes are high for Flanders. Work began without waiting for all the permits and Ineos has already invested a billion in Antwerp. The government had provided its financial guarantee but a permit has just been broken: the future factory would emit far too much nitrogen, in one of the regions that is already one of the most polluted in Europe.
The works are therefore at a standstill and Ineos is asking for guarantees. The Flemish government is ready to guarantee the investment up to 500 million. A draft decree has been submitted to the Flemish Parliament by the N-VA and the Open VLD to change the law.
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