As the seventh edition of the Critical Raw Materials Summit drew to a close in Brussels, a closing session posed a series of compelling questions to the audience—questions that go beyond policy declarations and dig deep into how Europe must act to secure its raw materials future.
Moderated with thoughtfulness and energy by Peter Handley, the final panel brought together Stefan Dobrev (Chair, EIT Governing Board) and Bernd Schäfer (CEO, EIT RawMaterials) for a sharp and candid reflection. Here are some of the critical questions and takeaways that framed the conversation:
-How do we turn knowledge into impact?
Not just reports or roadmaps, but tangible benefits for citizens, companies, and Europe’s industrial resilience—transforming innovation into products, battery life, and economic value.
-It’s time to rethink security not just in terms of weapons, but as a question of access—access to critical materials, supply chains, talent, and technology.
-From cross-border partnerships to internal collaboration among stakeholders, building strong and flexible ecosystems emerged as a cornerstone for success.
-Acting on foresight—rather than waiting for mandates—was framed as a key responsibility for innovation communities and industrial clusters.
-Transparency, analytical rigour, and courage to act—especially when outcomes are uncertain—were named as critical success factors.
-Redesigning supply chains, forging new international partnerships, and ensuring circularity demand risk-taking and creativity.
Throughout the Summit sessions, a recurring theme was the call for courage—the courage to innovate, to collaborate, and to confront challenges with proactive solutions. Europe, it was said, must not wake up too late to the risks ahead. Strategic autonomy, competitiveness, and sustainability all depend on moving from insight to action.
A few final reflections from the session:
The Summit saw a stronger-than-ever presence from international partners and DGs across the European Commission. The CEO Roundtable with BloombergNEF marked a promising new format for high-level engagement on circularity.
