NORTH EAST MEP FEARS EU CHEMICALS REGULATION COULD DESTROY TEESSIDE JOBS

North East Conservative MEP Martin Callanan will be highlighting the potentially damaging effects of the EU Chemicals Directive during a visit tomorrow (14.05.04) to the Stockton based firm ELEMENTIS CHROMIUM. He will be touring the chemicals plant as well as discussing the impact of this EU regulation with senior managers and staff at Elementis. Martin Callanan is a member of the European Parliament's Environment Committee and has taken a keen interest in the progress of the legislation. He has been working closely with many North East Chemical companies affected to try and mitigate the damaging effects of these new regulations.

Speaking ahead of his visit Martin Callanan said:

'The Chemicals Directive will put an unnecessary and unwarranted burden of bureaucracy and red tapeon the chemicals industry, an industry which is particularly important to the Teesside economy. This added bureaucracy has the potential to cost our region hundreds of jobs - that is why I am campaigning for changes to the legislation that will make it as business friendly as possible.'

ENDS