Press Release: 20 critical raw materials – major challenge for EU industry

Raw materials are fundamental to Europe’s economy, and they are essential for maintaining and improving our quality of life. Recent years have seen a rapid growth in the number of materials used across products. Securing reliable and undistorted access of certain raw materials is of growing concern within the EU and across the globe.

As a consequence of these circumstances, the Raw Materials Initiative was instigated to manage responses to raw materials issues at an EU level. Critical raw materials have a high economic importance to the EU combined with a high risk associated with their supply.

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: MEMO/14/377: The European Critical Raw Materials review http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-377_en.pdf

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