EIT RawMaterials supports EU Action Plan for a sustainable supply of raw materials

• Vice-President Šefčovič and Commissioner Breton have presented an Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and the 2020 List of Critical Raw Materials
• Launch of a new European Raw Materials Alliance planned by end of September with EIT RawMaterials taking an active role in its outlined objectives
• Secure and sustainable supply of raw materials as a prerequisite for a resilient EU economy

The European Commission today presented an Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials to develop resilient value chains for EU industrial ecosystems and to secure Europe’s green and digital transition. It aims to reduce dependency on third countries by strengthening domestic sourcing as well as improving resource efficiency and circularity while promoting responsible sourcing worldwide.

‘The Commission intends to develop and implement these priority objectives and the action plan with the help of the Member States and stakeholders, in particular the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials and the Raw Materials Supply Group. It will also draw on the support and expertise of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Raw Materials.’ Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials: Critical Raw Materials Resilience, European Commission Communication 3 Sept. 2020.

The first concrete action will be to establish a European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA). After its official launch later this month, ERMA will focus on increasing EU resilience in the rare earth and magnet value chains, as this is vital to most of EU industrial ecosystems. Over time, the alliance will expand to address other raw, advanced and critical raw materials.

We need to turn Europe’s dependency on raw materials into a major strength for Europe. EIT RawMaterials is the leading European industry partnership that will take an active role in achieving the outlined objectives of the European Raw Materials Alliance through our extensive expertise in delivering innovation to the raw materials market and securing raw material supply along the strategic value chains.

Bernd Schäfer, CEO of EIT RawMaterials.

The Raw Materials Alliance will bring together a variety of stakeholders, including industrial actors along the value chain, Member States and regions, trade unions, civil society, research and technology organisations, investors and NGOs. The Raw Materials Alliance is planned for launch end of September.

European Commission presented an updated list of Critical Raw Materials

Being the key enablers for a globally competitive, green, and digital Europe, raw materials have become increasingly decisive to improve EU industrial value chains strategically – such as for e-mobility, magnets, renewable energies, aerospace, defence and digital applications. In addition, they are critically important to implement the United Nation’s Agenda 2030 for the Sustainable Development Goals and to achieve the goals outlined in the European Green Deal, the renewed industrial strategy for Europe as well as in the EU Recovery Plan.

EU is largely dependent on raw materials from countries with lower environmental and social standards. Therefore, it needs to diversify its supply and make better use of the resources available within the EU – applying the highest environmental and social standards to that effect. Today’s updated list of CRMs combines raw materials of high importance to the EU’s economy and of the high risk associated with their supply. Being subject to a periodic review, the update adds 4 new critical raw materials to the list making it 30 in total.