A secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials in support of the twin transition

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 16 March 2023, setting out a common approach to securing access to a diversified, affordable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials.

Further information:

Critical raw materials are essential to the functioning and integrity of a wide range of industrial ecosystems. However, supply is confronted with growing geopolitical, environmental and social risks and challenges. A forecast study published by the European Commission highlighted the European Union's (EU) heavy dependence on a very limited number of suppliers for all the strategic technologies in several stages of their supply chains, and for some technologies, throughout the entire value chain.

The 2008 Raw Materials Initiative was the first step for tackling the issue of access to raw materials in the EU. The 2020 Action Plan built on to propose actions seeking to increase the EU's resilience and open strategic autonomy. This Communication accounts for significant geopolitical changes occurred since then, seeking to scale up and speed up primary and secondary raw materials supply. This includes the development of long-term relationships with resource-rich countries, in full complementarity with the Global Gateway strategy.

The approach is based on three main pillars:

• Developing the critical raw materials value chain in the EU;
• Boosting the diversification of supply and partnering in a mutually beneficial manner in support of global production;
• Fostering sustainable sourcing and promoting circularity.

This Communication was adopted by the European Commission on 16 March 2023, alongside a draft European Critical Raw Materials Act.

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 16/03/2023: Critical Raw Materials: ensuring secure and sustainable supply chains for EU's green and digital future https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_1661

European Commission: Questions and Answers on the European Critical Raw Materials Act (16 March 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_23_1662

European Commission: Remarks by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis and Commissioner Breton at the press conference on the Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU's long-term competitiveness strategy, and 30 years of the Single Market (16 March 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_1704

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