The chemical industry is one of the pillars of the European economy. The industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report of the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) provides performance for the chemical industry in the first quarter of 2020, in particular, the dynamics of industrial production, sales of goods, foreign trade.

France and Spain are among the largest economies in the European Union. Spain’s rail infrastructure is more integrated into the international rail corridor connecting Europe and China. France has a wide industrial sector that can be used in the context of expanding the country’s exports to China. The study "France and Spain Export to China: Prospects for Expansion of the Rail Freight Transit" includes a brief overview of the current economies of the countries, an analysis of the commodity exports; as well as the logistics characteristics of the countries.