The EU will never be self-sufficient in critical raw materials. They are otherwise crucial for the green transition, digitalization and defense. But the EU Commission is now proposing a target that a maximum of 65 percent of the EU's annual consumption of each strategic raw material must come from one country.
This should make the EU more independent. And it should bring the EU closer to meeting its climate goals. This is what the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Thursday, when the proposed Critical Raw Materials Act was presented.
- The bill will significantly improve the refining, processing and recycling of raw materials here in Europe. We are also strengthening our cooperation with reliable trading partners to reduce our dependence on one or a few countries, says von der Leyen.
Will set a ceiling on the processing time of applications
To achieve the objectives of the proposal, authorities will in future have to spend a maximum of 24 months assessing an application to start, for example, a mine for the extraction of rare earths. And a maximum of 12 months if the permit concerns the processing and recycling of critical raw materials.
The Commission considers raw materials to be critical if they are of crucial economic importance but cannot be reliably extracted within the EU and therefore must be imported for the most part.
The proposal for faster permits may raise concerns about whether the EU could come into conflict with the normal procedures for raw materials projects.
The projects typically have negative consequences for the environment or citizens living in the areas. Therefore, it often takes a long time to complete environmental studies and public consultations before the green light is given.
Member states must not compromise workers' rights and environmental protection
However, the EU Commission stresses that member states must increase their efforts to mitigate any negative impacts. This applies both in the EU and in third countries.
The aim is to ensure workers' rights and environmental protection in connection with the extraction and handling of raw materials, the EU Commission states in the proposal. In addition to extracting, processing and recycling more of the critical raw materials in Europe, the EU Commission is also planning to purchase from more countries.
- We are strengthening our cooperation with reliable trading partners to reduce our dependence on one or a few countries, says EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Here, the EU Commission is planning to enter into partnerships with developing countries that have access to the critical raw materials. They are currently concentrated in countries such as China, Russia, Chile and Brazil.
China's monopoly - not only on extraction, but also a large processing industry - is seen as problematic in Brussels. China currently has a strong position in the markets for rare earths and graphite.
The EU Commission also wants to require a number of Europe's largest companies to conduct a check of their supply chain. This should help to reveal potential problems in relation to security of supply.
The proposal must now be discussed with the European Parliament and the EU countries before it can be adopted and come into force.
/ritzau/
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