Brussels, 10/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Measures to improve the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry were discussed at the Borschette Centre in Brussels on Thursday 10 February at a conference organised by the European Commission, opened by EU Industry Commissioner and Vice-President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani, who spoke about the celebrations of the International Year of Chemistry. Tajani stressed the importance of the chemical industry in the European industrial panorama, providing raw materials for other industries and employing some 1.2 million people in the EU. The conference discussed implementation of the views of the High Level Group on Competitiveness in the EU Chemical Industry, a group set up in 2007, and chemical industry success stories. Other speakers at the conference included EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik and CEFIC president Giorgio Squinzi. (Gp/transl.fl)