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.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has led to uncertainty and loss of confidence unseen since 2008. The market volatility has also risen extremely fast to a level unseen over the last decade. Even against this unfavorable environment, there are sectors that have taken a disproportionate hit, including tourism, passenger transportation, airlines, hotels — practically everything that has a built-in key cross-border dimension.