The European Commission has selected 47 strategic projects to enhance the extraction, processing, and recycling of critical raw materials within the European Union, including Belgian company Umicore’s germanium activities.
Under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), the Commission published a list of projects receiving European support for funding and permits. These projects aim to boost the production of essential raw materials crucial for the green and digital transition.
"Raw materials have long been the blind spot of our industrial policy," declared Vice President Stéphane Séjourné at a press conference. The pandemic and the war in Ukraine exposed the vulnerability and dependence on non-EU supply chains.
The list includes 47 projects across 13 Member States, covering all phases of the value chain from extraction to recycling and substitution. Significant projects focus on lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite, crucial for battery production and electric vehicles.
"We must not replace fossil fuel dependence with reliance on these raw materials. Chinese lithium cannot become tomorrow’s Russian gas," noted Séjourné.
Umicore’s projects include GePETO for germanium processing and ReGAIN for its substitution. This market, vital for fibre optic cables and infrared technology, is dominated by China, which has imposed export restrictions since summer 2023. An Italian project by chemical company Solvay on the recycling of platinum group metals is also on the list.
The 47 projects collectively envisage capital investments exceeding €22 billion. Approximately €2 billion is available for funding and loan guarantees, but the European label aims to attract additional public and private investors. “We believe these projects are feasible and can be rolled out quickly,” Séjourné asserted.
The law incorporates expedited permit procedures currently lasting five to ten years. Authorities must reduce these periods to 27 months for extraction and 15 months for processing and recycling, respecting social rules and environmental standards. Dialogue with local communities impacted by new mining activities is essential. “We must communicate the broader European and national interest,” Séjourné emphasised.
Illustration picture shows the site of historic nuclear pollution near the Umicore production plant in Olen, Thursday 10 December 2020. Credit: Belga
By 2030, the CRMA targets European extraction, processing, and recycling of these raw materials to meet 10%, 40%, and 25% of EU demand respectively. The law stipulates that no more than 65% of the annual demand for any raw material should be dependent on a single third country across all value chain phases.
The CRMA came into effect last year but gained urgency with the global raw materials race sparked by US President Donald Trump earlier this year. Europe has a memorandum on raw materials with Ukraine, and Séjourné reiterated the EU’s commitment to furthering this partnership.
Europe aims to strengthen its production and diversify supply chains. Over 40 applications have been submitted for projects outside the EU. The Commission will soon select those eligible for strategic project status.
