The objectives of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) still seem difficult to achieve, according to several manufacturers in the sector. A number of them spoke out about the needs of their industry at the Raw Materials Summit organised by the European Institute for Technology and Innovation (‘EIT raw materials’) on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 May.
“The CRMA does not go far enough. Maybe a little bit of protectionism is needed, to give car makers a margin”, suggested Roland Chavasse, Secretary General of the International Lithium Association, during a discussion on access to raw materials in the automotive sector.
According to Martin Phillips, Chief Executive of Talga, a battery manufacturer, the CRMA will not be able to deal with current supply problems. He believes that the objective of limiting dependence on a single country for each strategic raw material to 65% is “laughable”. “This is not feasible at the moment. I don’t think the CRMA is in a position to make adjustments in terms of supply and demand”, he added.
For him and others, diversifying sources of supply and working with resource-rich partners must be a priority.
With this in mind, Nello Li Pira, who is in charge of electrification at Stellantis, believes that the MSP Forum, to which the EU is committed, is a positive step. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)