In a letter dated 25 June, 66 MEPs from 17 Member States and from all political backgrounds called on the European Commission to mobilise to guarantee the Union's “strategic autonomy” in raw materials, which are crucial for the EU’s energy transition and digitalisation.
The letter, which was delivered by the centre-right political group (EPP) (and which can be found at https://bit.ly/3eDQj5r ), stresses that Europe's “green” recovery, which will be based on industrial leadership in the production of batteries, electric vehicles, computers, solar panels or wind turbines, cannot be so heavily reliant on foreign imports of carbon-intensive raw materials.
The World Bank has recently concluded that the world’s production of 13 strategic metals will need to increase by up to 500% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies. The EU must therefore improve its resilience, including by conducting a “no-holds barred review” of the robustness of global supply chains.
Among other actions, they also suggest earmarking the recovery fund to boost the sustainable production of the required metals and minerals within the EU, prioritising funding and expanding the circular economy to ensure Europe has an increased capacity and a reliable supply of recycled materials.
They state that these objectives must also be at the heart of the trade policy review launched on 16 June (see EUROPE 12507/5). (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)