Contact

Critical Raw Materials Act

The Critical Raw Materials Act aims at strengthening a sustainable and stable supply of critical raw materials across the value chain, from extraction to processing and recycling, and lowering EU’s dependency on imports from single country suppliers.

Why it’s important

Critical raw materials (CRMs) are indispensable for Europe’s green and digital transitions, including clean energy technologies, batteries, aerospace, defence, digital infrastructure and industrial value chains.

Currently, the EU depends heavily on imports, often concentrated in a few non-EU sources. This dependency puts European industry competitiveness and strategic autonomy at risk.

 

Our messages

We advocate for the swift implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act, supported by dedicated, easy-to-access funding and a favourable, coherent policy framework that unlocks new projects and accelerates the development of CRM extraction, processing and recycling capacity. In particular, we call for:

  • Establishing a single, dedicated funding instrument for critical raw materials, enabling fast project implementation and providing support for both OPEX and CAPEX
  • Introducing an EU-level requirement for time limits on granting new environmental permits, similar to those in the Critical Raw Materials Act for all installations.
  • Targeting strategic stockpiling based on material characteristics and market specificities
  • Ensuring a predictable and coherent regulatory framework that supports rapid project roll-out and long-term investment.

 

For additional information on this subject contact:

fazio@european-metals.eu