The European Commission has launched a fresh attempt at securing access to minerals like lithium and rare earth elements, saying those will be critical to underpin Europe’s growth in digital and green industries.
Last month, the EU executive launched a strategy to develop a full value-chain for raw materials in Europe – ranging from extraction to processing and waste recovery.
In this special report, EURACTIV looks at Europe’s renewed drive for “strategic autonomy” on critical raw materials.
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Europe faces up to China’s supremacy on raw materials
When the flu pandemic hit Europe and disrupted global supply chains this year, the EU came to a sobering realisation – it cannot continue relying solely on imports for raw materials like lithium and rare earths which are critical for the bloc’s digital and green industries.
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EU’s Sefcovic: Europe must be ‘much more strategic’ on raw materials
The European Union “cannot achieve” climate neutrality without critical raw materials like lithium and rare earths, says Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič. It now needs to be “much more strategic” in relations with supplier countries in order to ensure the bloc's “strategic autonomy,” he argues.