On Wednesday 28 January, the Member States authorised the European Commission to negotiate a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with the United States on a future partnership on critical materials.
On 19 December, the Commission informed the EU Council’s Industry Working Party of its intention to launch these discussions. On 26 January, the institution provided additional information, according to a note seen by Agence Europe.
According to one source, this partnership would cover 17 essential materials and the Commission would have given assurances on questions of market transparency and non-exclusivity.
“Given common challenges, such as strategic dependencies in the area of critical minerals and recent export restrictions by third countries on rare earths, the Commission agreed with the United States government to establish a structured bilateral engagement to enhance transatlantic cooperation. The objective is to address the shared need for strengthening the resilience and diversification of critical minerals and derivatives supply as well as addressing certain demand-side measures”, explained the Commission. The Member States’ decision will have to be approved as an ‘a’ item at a forthcoming EU Council meeting.
The ‘Industry’ Working Party had expressed its overall support for the opening of negotiations, “with the understanding that the Commission will inform and consult the Working Party on the advancement of those negotiations with the United States and will revert to the Council at the end of the negotiation process to seek the Council’s authorisation in due time for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Union”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)