MEPs voted, on Thursday 14 September, in favour of the resolution on negotiations between the Union and the United States on access to critical minerals tabled by Bernd Lange (S&D, German), Chair of the Committee on International Trade (INTA).
In broad terms, the resolution supports the crucial interest that this agreement would represent for the EU, particularly in terms of industrial security, and welcomes the thrust of the negotiating mandate adopted by the EU Council in July (see EUROPE 13227/8).
However, MEPs have a number of criticisms. They are asking for “clarification” on the list of minerals to be included, in particular calling for the inclusion of “minerals obtained by recycling”.
The day before, Mr Lange had questioned the Commission on this subject in an oral question in the Hemicycle (see EUROPE 13249/17). “The United States has designated [in its Inflation Reduction Act] 50 critical materials. But in the offer of agreement made to us, there are now only five. It’s a real question, and we need to see how the Commission responds to it”, he stressed.
The resolution also states that “the EU applies some of the highest standards in the world with regard to climate and environmental provisions”.
MEPs support the need to reach an agreement whose details do not conflict with European legislation already negotiated or under negotiation, such as the Net-zero Industry Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act.
Finally, MEPs say they “take note of the ambitious timetable for concluding the negotiations”, but add that “the need for a rapid solution must not limit the ambition” of the text of the agreement.
“A Critical Minerals Agreement should only be considered as one of the first measures to be taken to address all the Union’s concerns regarding the Inflation Reduction Act”, states the resolution, which refers to, without mentioning, the agreement on steel and aluminium, which is still being negotiated.
According to our information, at the end of August, the European Commission submitted a counter-proposal to the United States on the text of the agreement. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)