The European Industrial Gases Association (EIGA) finds itself in a post-pandemic sweet spot for promoting its members’ interests and relaying key safety messaging across the growing industrial gases sector and public at large.
Speaking exclusively to gasworld’s 1895 on its landmark 50th episode, entitled ‘European industrial gases: innovation, safety and regulation’, Philippe Cornille, General Secretary at EIGA, said public affairs, product policy and standardisation are its three key focus areas in 2025.
Reflecting on a turbulent political year in Europe, Cornille said the industry remains “challenged” but on the positive side, the recent EIGA Winter Summit was well attended and levels of interaction among delegates encouraging.
“We have beefed up our advocacy work,” he said. “There is a need for the outside world to see our work – we took our first steps in 2024 and this will continue in 2025.”
A recurring message was the need to cut red tape and communicate closely with legislators, and promoting members’ interests more forcefully as the ‘voice’ of the sector.
“We would like to change the ‘invisible’ industry perception, and become somewhat more visible for legislators,” he said.
Standardisation remains a core focus. He cited hydrogen as an example where legislation is different depending on whether it is a stand-alone unit, or embedded into operations. But its broader growth, increasingly spilling into the mainstream, presents an opportunity for EIGA to lead.
“With industries such as hydrogen, we need international standards,” he said. “It is the same for medical applications. Oxygen produced from PSI in a hospital, or liquid oxygen delivered to the hospital, it’s very different legislation. It’s a challenge.”
Interestingly, Cornille sees synergies when it comes to tackling standards and bureaucracy, and building on legacy learnings from the pandemic – a period when medical oxygen’s visibility understandably soared globally.
“During COVID times, legislators, industrial gas producers and hospitals all worked together to save lives. For the industrial gases sector, there was some relaxations, drivers were relieved from periodic trainings for example, in order for the system to continue working. What was proven was that there was no problem – so without red tape, it’s equally safe.”
“Pre-COVID, the European Medicine Agencies and others did not consider oxygen as a real medicine. But these doors have opened so that’s a positive development. It sounds harsh but COVID has helped bring attention and we are now at the core table, and involved more in the drafting of medical legislation.”
In the podcast he goes on to discuss the impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, complexities surrounding PFAS, technology growth opportunities and safety elements surrounding the growing CO2 value chain.
In a final piece of advice for members, he said, “In line with our DNA, keep it safe – if you’re in the slightest doubt, please consult specialists.”
Click here to listen to the European industrial gases: innovation, safety and regulation podcast
