Memorandum of Understanding signed for the industrial conversion of Versalis

The Cisl, Femca Cisl, Uiltec Uil, Ugl and Cisal trade unions signed a memorandum of understanding at Palazzo Piacentini, headquarters of the Ministry for Enterprise and Made in Italy, on the industrial conversion of Versalis towards green technology and transition. Only CGIL reserved the right to analyse the text and to do so later.

“A milestone has been reached on the road to a sustainable future for the chemical sector,” said Adolfo Urso, Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy. “We have not given up in the face of difficulties, but have chosen to look to the future, turning a crisis into an extraordinary opportunity to revitalise the chemical industry, making it a competitive sector and a leading player in the green transition”.

Specifically, the plan foresees the restructuring of basic chemistry, with the closure of crackers, and the development of new sustainable platforms in circular, bio and speciality chemistry. In Brindisi, a stationary storage gigafactory will be developed in collaboration with Seri Industrial. Overall, these new technology platforms will ensure that the current industrial and employment intensity is maintained.

The company has pledged to implement the transformation plan within five years, with investments of more than 2 billion euros and a reduction of around one million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 40% of Versalis' emissions in Italy.

The Ministry for the Economy and Made in Italy has guaranteed maximum support for the project and, in agreement with the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security, has set up a coordination and monitoring table for the implementation of Eni's plan. The aim is to ensure compliance with all the commitments made, including the construction schedule, the protection of employment levels and the impact on downstream and related industries.