EU plans extensive supplies: prepare for raw material crises!

EU plans extensive supplies: prepare for raw material crises!

The European Union is advancing its strategy to secure critical minerals and raw materials. According to a report by t online The EU plans to stockpile these important materials as well as repair kits for cable damage. A key objective is to protect against potential supply disruptions that may be caused by a complex and deteriorating risk landscape.

The challenges are diverse: geopolitical tensions, environmental destruction and cybercriminal activities cast shadows on the stability of raw material supplies. President Ursula von der Leyen highlights Europe's vulnerability, particularly with regard to raw materials. Materials such as lithium, rare earths and manganese in particular are indispensable for the green transition and the restructuring of European industry.

Europe's green transition at a glance

The European strategy is a response to the increasing dependence on external powers, especially China, which plays a dominant role with 98% of the EU's consumption of rare earths in 2020. To address this dependency, the EU is continually introducing new initiatives to locally extract critical raw materials and increase their processing. As part of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) of 2022, EU states have committed to extracting at least 10% of their consumption themselves and processing 40% by 2030 The Parliament Magazine mentioned.

Particularly exciting are the 47 strategic projects identified by the European Commission to strengthen the value chains for raw materials in Europe. These projects are located in 13 EU countries, including Germany, Belgium and France, and require a total capital investment of 22.5 billion euros. Projects for the extraction and processing of lithium and graphite are planned in Germany, which should ensure the supply of these crucial materials Germany representation reported.

Forward-looking strategies and recommendations

As part of the new strategy, the Commission is calling on Member States to increase their stocks of critical equipment. Citizens are encouraged to stock up at least 72 hours in case of emergencies. These preventive measures are intended to prepare the association of states for the risks of natural disasters and cyber attacks. Fengris von der Leyen also warns of the challenges that competition from China and the USA can pose to the chances of success for European diplomacy.

To counteract this, the EU plans to create a mechanism to pool demand for critical raw materials and is promoting numerous initiatives to increase innovation in this area. A good hand in implementing these strategies could be crucial to putting raw material supplies on a stable foundation and reducing dependence on global crises.

In summary, it can be said that the EU is working towards a future-proof raw materials policy while keeping an eye on the urgent risks, because the challenges remain high and require well-thought-out solutions.