The European economy depends on a secure supply of critical raw materials. Be it for the growing energy sector or the digital industry. At the same time, recent crises have shown us how easily supposedly secure supply chains can break down.

With the aim of ensuring a secure, diversified and sustainable supply of critical raw materials for the EU, the EU Commission proposed a package of measures on March 16, 2023.

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Significance for climate protection

In the press release on the topic, the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized the importance of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act for climate protection: “This regulation will bring us a step closer to achieving our climate goals.

[…] Raw materials are of crucial importance when it comes to developing key technologies such as wind power generation, hydrogen storage or batteries, which we need for the green and digital transformation,” von der Leyen said.

Specific objectives of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act

The EU Commission’s proposal includes the following points, among others:

  • Stronger promotion of European projects for the extraction, processing and recycling of critical raw materials.
  • Diversification of EU imports of critical raw materials
  • Creation of secure supply chains for critical raw materials
  • Promotion of research in the field of critical raw materials
  • Increasing attention to environmental issues in the extraction of critical raw materials.

The proposed regulation will enter into force as soon as the European Parliament as well as the Council of the European Union have given their consent.

Sources: EU Commission, DIHK (german)