MINEX Forum

Tag: European Union

  • European Industry Coalition Pushes for Smarter and Faster Permitting Across the EU

    European Industry Coalition Pushes for Smarter and Faster Permitting Across the EU

    Euro Mines announced that 18 organisations have joined forces to establish an informal Coalition on Permitting, a cross-sector platform aimed at improving and accelerating project approval processes across the European Union.

    The move comes amid growing concern that lengthy and complex permitting procedures have become a structural bottleneck for Europe’s industrial revival, delaying investments across mining, energy and manufacturing.

    According to the coalition, permitting reform should be treated as a strategic enabler of Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and industrial value chains. The group is calling on EU policymakers to streamline and align permitting requirements stemming from EU legislation, particularly for cross-border projects, in order to reduce duplication and legal uncertainty.

    Among the proposed measures are enforceable time limits for permit decisions, digital tracking systems, clearer accountability mechanisms and stronger resourcing of permitting authorities.

    Coalition Co-Chair Gabrielle van Melkebeke said the initiative seeks to ensure Europe can deliver the projects required to meet net-zero targets while remaining an attractive destination for investment. She noted that the coalition combines diverse expertise to propose reforms that are both ambitious and practical.

    Co-Chair Florian Anderhuber stressed that Europe cannot meet its industrial, defence and climate objectives without modern and predictable permitting systems. By pooling cross-sector insights, the coalition aims to provide policymakers with evidence-based recommendations on where reforms are most urgently needed.

    The announcement follows mounting pressure on Europe’s industrial base. While the region initially led the early phase of the steel transition away from coal, momentum has slowed. The  reports that China has taken the lead in green steel production and has surpassed its 2025 green hydrogen capacity target of 200,000 tonnes.

    Financial challenges have also emerged. Swedish green steel developer  is facing a funding shortfall of more than $1 billion to complete its plant under construction. Stegra is also a key investor in , which is experiencing financial strain partly linked to limited government support.

    The coalition represents European and national trade associations, technology providers, project developers and supply chain partners. Its goal is to serve as a unified industry voice in support of modernising Europe’s permitting systems and restoring industrial momentum.

  • Lithuania Signals Willingness to Strike Bilateral Critical Minerals Deal With US

    Lithuania Signals Willingness to Strike Bilateral Critical Minerals Deal With US

    Lithuania may pursue a bilateral agreement with the United States on critical minerals if the European Union fails to move swiftly on a joint partnership, the country’s foreign minister has said.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Kestutis Budrys emphasized that while Vilnius prefers a coordinated European approach, time is becoming a decisive factor. “We have the intention to go forward at the European level,” he said, adding that if consensus within the EU proves too slow, “the way forward is bilaterally.”

    The EU has been working on a critical minerals partnership with the United States and other like-minded countries to reduce dependence on China, which dominates global supply chains for many rare earth elements and strategic materials essential for advanced technologies. Member states have granted the European Commission a mandate to negotiate on behalf of the bloc. However, some capitals, including Vilnius, have voiced concerns over the pace of negotiations.

    At the same time, the administration of Donald Trump has encouraged individual EU member states to consider direct bilateral agreements.

    The urgency of securing alternative supply chains has intensified amid ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. China’s export restrictions on rare earths last year heightened concerns among Western governments about supply-chain vulnerabilities and the risk of political leverage through mineral exports.

    Last week, the United States and 55 other countries agreed to introduce new policy tools, including price floors, aimed at stabilizing supply chains and countering market distortions.

    For Lithuania, the issue carries particular strategic weight. The country’s engineering sector and rapidly expanding defense industry rely on stable access to critical minerals. According to Budrys, Vilnius seeks to diversify imports and reduce exposure to what it considers unreliable suppliers, particularly China, which Lithuania accuses of using trade as a political instrument.

    As geopolitical competition over strategic resources deepens, Lithuania’s position highlights growing pressure within the EU to balance collective action with national urgency in securing critical mineral supply chains.

  • Romania Claims EU Leadership in Critical Raw Materials as US Partnerships Advance

    Romania Claims EU Leadership in Critical Raw Materials as US Partnerships Advance

    Romania holds 16 of the 32 critical raw materials designated at EU level and ranks first in the bloc in terms of subsoil resources for rare earths and strategic minerals, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan has said.

    Speaking to local media, Ivan stated that Romania possesses half of the critical elements Europe considers essential, with some found only in Romania and at most one other EU member state. The minister argued that this positions the country as a key pillar of Europe’s resource security strategy.

    Romania is already working with what Ivan described as an “extremely important” American company in efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese critical minerals. According to local reports, this partner is likely Critical Metals Corp, which has links to investor Frank Timiș.

    Ivan acknowledged, however, that Romania currently lacks an integrated processing and refining chain for these materials. Developing such infrastructure would, he said, create the first fully integrated rare earth processing chain in the western hemisphere, potentially supplying strategic industries including aerospace and advanced technology manufacturers such as SpaceX.

    Discussions are also reportedly under way regarding cooperation between Critical Metals Corp and Nuclearelectrica (BVB: SNN). The proposal involves transforming the uranium processing facility at Feldioara into a plant capable of refining rare earth elements sourced from Greenland.

    In parallel, Ivan highlighted three Romanian projects included under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, with a combined value of around EUR 615 million. According to European Commission data, these projects are being developed by Euro Sun Mining (copper), Salrom (graphite), and Verde Magnesium (magnesium). One of the projects, Euro Sun Mining’s copper development, currently lacks a valid environmental permit.

    The minister’s remarks come as the European Union intensifies efforts to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on external suppliers amid geopolitical tensions and rising demand from the energy transition and defense sectors.

  • Czechia’s Chvaletice Manganese Project Gains Strategic Importance for EU Battery Supply Chains

    Czechia’s Chvaletice Manganese Project Gains Strategic Importance for EU Battery Supply Chains

    A major manganese deposit in eastern Czechia is emerging as a key asset in Europe’s push to secure strategic minerals for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. The Chvaletice site in the Pardubice region, once a legacy mining area, is now believed to host the largest manganese reserves in the European Union, according to local reporting.

    The project is being advanced by Mangan Chvaletice, which plans to reprocess historic mining tailings accumulated around the former industrial site. What was once considered waste is now viewed as a valuable secondary resource. The company says the project could eventually produce up to 50,000 tonnes of high-purity manganese per year.

    Manganese plays a critical role in lithium-ion battery cathodes, improving performance and safety in electric vehicle batteries. As demand for battery materials accelerates, securing regional supply is increasingly seen as essential for Europe’s economic resilience and industrial autonomy.

    The Chvaletice project has reportedly achieved key permitting milestones, including environmental approvals and mining licences. Preparatory work for a conveyor system and processing plant is expected to begin later this decade, with full commercial production targeted around 2030. The project could create up to 400 jobs.

    The Czech government has designated the Chvaletice deposit as a strategic mineral resource under national legislation, highlighting its importance for supply chain security. Current reserves are estimated to potentially meet up to one quarter of European manganese demand, with a projected mine life of approximately 25 years.

    Manganese and lithium are both listed as critical raw materials by the European Commission. Beyond Chvaletice, Czechia hosts one of Europe’s largest lithium deposits at Cínovec, as well as tungsten reserves and a history of uranium production, reinforcing the country’s growing role in Europe’s advanced technology supply chains.

  • EU Moves to Forge Critical Minerals Partnership with US to Counter China’s Dominance

    EU Moves to Forge Critical Minerals Partnership with US to Counter China’s Dominance

    The European Union is preparing to propose a formal critical minerals partnership with the United States, seeking to align with the Trump administration’s renewed push to secure global supply chains and reduce reliance on China.

    According to sources familiar with the discussions, Brussels is ready to sign a memorandum of understanding with Washington that would launch work on a “Strategic Partnership Roadmap,” with a draft framework expected within three months. Negotiators on both sides are aiming to conclude initial talks within 30 days, with a joint statement by the European Commission and the US expected this week.

    The proposed partnership is designed to coordinate sourcing, pricing and market safeguards for critical minerals that underpin modern technologies ranging from clean energy systems to defence equipment. Both the EU and the US remain heavily dependent on Chinese production and processing, a concentration that has given Beijing significant leverage over global supply chains.

    Under the proposal, the EU and US would explore joint mining and processing projects, develop secure transatlantic supply chains, and consider price-support mechanisms to protect Western producers from cheaper imports. The draft also highlights tools to prevent market manipulation and manage oversupply, including coordinated stockpiling and shared response mechanisms in the event of disruptions.

    Notably, EU officials insist the partnership explicitly include respect for territorial integrity. This provision follows recent strains in transatlantic relations after Donald Trump publicly floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and part of the EU.

    The initiative coincides with a US-led ministerial meeting this week, bringing together foreign ministers and senior officials from allied countries to advance agreements aimed at cutting dependence on Chinese critical minerals. A draft statement seen by Bloomberg indicates the EU, the US and partners are considering a broader plurilateral trade initiative involving like-minded nations.

    Potential measures under discussion include coordinated trade policies such as standards-based markets, price-gap subsidies, border-adjusted price floors and long-term offtake agreements. While the text remains subject to change, it reflects Washington’s interest in shielding domestic producers from undercutting by Chinese exports.

    China’s role looms large in the background. Beijing dominates both mining and refining of many critical minerals, and its export restrictions on rare earths last year elevated the issue to the top of Washington’s strategic agenda. Although some restrictions were temporarily eased following talks between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, US officials remain focused on accelerating diversification.

    In parallel, the Trump administration has placed renewed emphasis on stockpiling. Earlier this week, the US announced a $12 billion critical minerals reserve aimed at protecting manufacturers from sudden supply shocks, a move closely aligned with elements of the EU proposal.

    The European Commission has described the talks as essential to reducing dependence on any single supplier, though officials privately caution that reaching a comprehensive agreement on complex pricing and trade mechanisms within weeks will be challenging. Still, the EU’s willingness to table a detailed proposal signals momentum toward closer transatlantic coordination on one of the most strategically sensitive areas of the global economy.

  • Heavy Industry Issues “Code Red” for Europe: Urgent Call to Halt 2026 Carbon Cost Hikes

    Heavy Industry Issues “Code Red” for Europe: Urgent Call to Halt 2026 Carbon Cost Hikes

    BRUSSELS – In a major intervention aimed at the highest levels of EU governance, Euromines and a coalition of Europe’s energy-intensive industries (EIIs) have issued a stark warning: without immediate policy intervention, the continent faces “irreversible deindustrialisation.”

    The joint statement, released on 2 February 2026, comes at a critical juncture for European manufacturing. Highlighting a “deteriorating fast” situation, the industry group revealed that production levels in some sectors plummeted by as much as 40% in 2025.

    Key Alarms: A Sector in Retreat

    The coalition, representing a turnover of €1.5 trillion and 6.6 million employees, argues that the backbone of Europe’s strategic autonomy—including steel, cement, chemicals, and mining—is crumbling under three main pressures:

    • Sky-High Energy: Costs remain twice as high as pre-crisis levels.

    • Crushing Carbon Prices: CO2 prices are now roughly four times higher than in 2020, far outpacing international competitors.

    • Global Trade Headwinds: Unfair trade practices, exacerbated by aggressive US tariffs and state-induced global overcapacities, have left European firms unable to compete.

    “In 2025 alone, an estimated 200,000 jobs were lost in these sectors. This is a critical situation at a time when self-sufficiency is becoming increasingly important,” the statement warns.

    The “Four Pillars” of Survival

    As EU leaders prepare for an informal summit on competitiveness on 12 February, the industry is demanding a “Clean Industrial Deal” with four immediate priorities:

    1. Freeze Carbon Cost Hikes: A total pause on any planned increases in carbon costs for 2026. The group warns that upcoming reductions in “free allocations” could slash support by up to 34%, a move they label “detrimental.”

    2. Target €50/MWh Energy: Aligning with the landmark Draghi Report, industries are calling for all levers to be pulled to bring industrial electricity costs down to €50/MWh to make electrification viable.

    3. Aggressive Trade Defense: Rapid deployment of Trade Defence Instruments (TDIs) to counter “economic coercion” and non-EU imports produced under lower environmental standards.

    4. “Proudly Made in Europe” Demand: New rules in public procurement to prioritise European-made products, ensuring that the EU’s high environmental and social standards are reflected in market demand.

    Looking Ahead

    The timing of this statement is no coincidence. It serves as a direct “input” for the 12 February retreat at Alden Biesen Castle, where European Council President António Costa has invited former Italian PMs Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta to discuss a radical overhaul of the Single Market.

    With carbon prices projected by some analysts to reach €100/t in early 2026, the industry’s message is clear: Europe cannot afford to pay for tomorrow’s climate goals by bankrupting today’s industrial base.

  • Allied Nations to Meet in Washington on Critical Minerals Strategy as De-Risking from China Accelerates

    Allied Nations to Meet in Washington on Critical Minerals Strategy as De-Risking from China Accelerates

    Ministers from the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and New Zealand will gather in Washington this week to discuss the creation of a closer strategic alliance on critical minerals, as governments intensify efforts to reduce dependence on China-dominated supply chains.

    The meeting, convened by United States Department of State and led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will also include around 20 countries such as G7 members, India, South Korea, Mexico and potentially Argentina. It marks the second such summit in less than a month and is widely seen as part of a broader attempt to repair strained transatlantic relations and coordinate non-China sourcing strategies for minerals essential to energy transition, defence and advanced manufacturing.

    Australia underscored the urgency of the talks last week by announcing plans to establish a A$1.2 billion strategic reserve of critical minerals considered vulnerable to supply disruption from China. Canberra’s move follows Beijing’s decision last April to restrict rare earth exports in response to trade measures introduced under US President Donald Trump.

    A key issue on the Washington agenda will be whether the United States should guarantee minimum prices for critical minerals and rare earths to support investment in alternative supply chains. Reports this week that Washington may have ruled out such guarantees triggered a sell-off in Australian mining stocks, highlighting the sensitivity of the sector to policy signals. Australia has positioned itself as a major alternative supplier to China and plans to stockpile minerals such as antimony and gallium regardless of US pricing decisions.

    “Strengthening critical mineral supply chains with international partners is vital for the US economy, national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future,” the State Department said ahead of the summit.

    The European Union is expected to use the meeting to push for progress on broader trade irritants, including US tariffs on steel derivatives. EU officials argue that new levies on products containing steel, from bicycles to wind turbines, undermine trust following a tariff deal agreed last year. Brussels hopes the talks could pave the way for a joint statement that would signal a shift toward closer coordination with Washington on de-risking from China rather than recurring trade disputes.

    The European Commission has repeatedly warned that Europe remains highly exposed to Chinese supply chains, particularly for rare earth permanent magnets. According to Commission officials, the EU consumes around 20,000 tonnes of permanent magnets annually, with roughly 17,000–18,000 tonnes sourced from China and only about 1,000 tonnes produced domestically.

    Japan, which has long maintained strategic mineral stockpiles to guard against supply disruptions, is often cited by policymakers as a model for resilience. European and UK officials say closer alignment with partners such as Japan and Australia will be essential if Western economies are to secure stable access to minerals critical for everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to fighter jets and renewable energy systems.

  • EU Unlikely to Cut Critical Minerals Dependence on China by 2030, Auditors Warn

    EU Unlikely to Cut Critical Minerals Dependence on China by 2030, Auditors Warn

    The European Union is unlikely to diversify its supply of critical raw materials in time to meet its climate and industrial targets, leaving the bloc heavily dependent on China well into the next decade, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

    Despite the signing of 14 major trade agreements and sustained diversification efforts led by the European Commission, EU auditors concluded that the EU27 is “unlikely to succeed in time” in securing alternative sources of minerals essential for clean technologies such as electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines and solar panels.

    China remains the dominant supplier. The ECA report shows that the EU sources 97% of its magnesium imports from China, alongside large shares of gallium (71%), germanium (45%), baryte (44%), arsenic (39%), graphite (40%) and tungsten (31%). Magnesium is a key input for hydrogen electrolysers, while gallium and germanium are vital for semiconductors and renewable technologies.

    “Without critical raw materials, there will be no energy transition, no competitiveness, and no strategic autonomy,” said Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, warning that the EU is “dangerously dependent” on a small group of external suppliers.

    While countries such as Chile (lithium) and Turkey (boron) are also important partners, China remains unrivalled in both mining output and refining capacity. According to EU data, China controls around 60% of global production of critical raw materials and about 90% of global refining capacity. The European Parliament estimates that the EU depends on China for roughly 90% of its raw materials and 98% of rare-earth magnets.

    The pending Mercosur trade agreement, covering Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, could help diversify supply once approved by the European Parliament. EU lawmakers are also debating whether to revive a stalled trade and minerals agreement with the United States.

    Speaking in December, EU Executive Vice President Stéphane Séjourné acknowledged the bloc’s raw material dependence and said dialogue with China “remains essential,” even as Brussels rolls out new monitoring measures and prepares to launch a European raw materials centre to coordinate supply, stockpiling and market oversight.

    Auditors noted that Beijing has increasingly used its dominance as geopolitical leverage. Export restrictions on rare earths in recent years, including in 2025, disrupted EU industries. Data from the European Chamber of Commerce in China shows that Chinese authorities approved only 19 out of 141 licence applications submitted by European companies in mid-2025.

    The report also questions whether the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), adopted in 2024, can realistically meet its targets. The law sets non-binding goals for 2030, including 10% domestic extraction, 40% local processing and 25% recycling, while limiting reliance on any single non-EU supplier to 65%. Auditors say these targets are difficult to achieve given China’s grip on processing for materials such as magnesium, gallium and all rare earth elements.

    The ECA highlights recycling as an underused lever. Ten critical materials needed for the energy transition are not recycled at all in the EU, and existing targets do little to incentivise recycling of specific materials. The auditors recommend binding recycling targets, improved waste collection rules and easier movement of critical-material waste within the bloc to improve the commercial viability of recycling.

    “China’s vertical integration, scale and low costs give it a structural advantage,” Pentus-Rosimannus said, adding that without stronger action on recycling, partnerships and strategic projects, the EU risks falling short of its green and industrial ambitions.

  • Poland Urges Brussels to Act Over Ukraine’s Steel Scrap Export Ban

    Poland Urges Brussels to Act Over Ukraine’s Steel Scrap Export Ban

    Poland has asked the European Commission to intervene after Ukraine introduced measures that effectively halt exports of steel scrap to the European Union, a move Warsaw warns could undermine the competitiveness of its steel industry.

    The dispute highlights growing trade frictions between the two close partners at a time when the EU continues to provide political, financial and military support to Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Poland remains one of Kyiv’s strongest allies, tensions have mounted over trade flows, including agricultural products, transit corridors and now scrap metal.

    From January 1, Ukraine set export quotas for ferrous scrap at zero, effectively blocking shipments of a key input for electric arc furnaces. Poland’s Ministry of Development and Technology said the restrictions are already disrupting supply chains and risk driving up costs for domestic steelmakers.

    Roughly half of Poland’s steel output is produced using electric arc furnaces, which rely heavily on scrap as their primary raw material. In recent years, Poland has been the main destination for Ukrainian scrap exports. According to the ministry, a prolonged shortage could lead to higher production costs, weaker competitiveness and a real risk of output cuts and job losses in the sector.

    Kyiv has defended the measure as a wartime necessity, arguing that limiting exports helps support Ukraine’s own steel industry. Polish industry representatives counter that the policy lowers input costs for Ukrainian producers while increasing prices for manufacturers in the EU.

    Warsaw says it attempted to avert the restrictions before they took effect. On December 18, 2025, the Polish ministry sent a formal letter to Ukraine’s deputy economy minister urging the government to reconsider plans that would block scrap exports. With no response and the zero quotas now in force, Poland escalated the issue to Brussels.

    Following the Ukrainian government’s decision, the ministry formally requested urgent intervention from the European Commission, describing the quotas as a de facto export ban. Polish officials added that the matter will also be raised during upcoming bilateral talks with Ukrainian counterparts.

  • EU’s Push for Critical Minerals Raises Concerns Over Securitization and Democratic Backsliding

    EU’s Push for Critical Minerals Raises Concerns Over Securitization and Democratic Backsliding

    The European Union’s drive to secure access to critical raw materials is increasingly being framed as a matter of security, a shift that critics warn could undermine environmental protections, democratic processes, and the rights of local communities.

    Despite accounting for around 5% of the global population, the European Union consumes close to 20% of the world’s mineral resources, a gap that is widening as renewable energy, electric vehicles, digital technologies, and defence needs expand. This imbalance, analysts argue, has encouraged what they describe as a new form of “green imperialism,” aimed at maintaining mineral flows from the Global South and Europe’s periphery to major industrial centres.

    Over the past two decades, access to minerals has shifted from a trade and industrial policy issue to one increasingly treated as an existential security concern. The process accelerated after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and culminated in the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Regulation, adopted in 2024. The regulation designates “Strategic Projects” that benefit from faster permitting, privileged access to funding, and exemptions from certain environmental safeguards, with the stated goal of strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy.

    Supporters argue the approach is necessary as demand for minerals such as copper, lithium, and rare earth elements is projected to multiply several times by 2030, while global production remains concentrated in a handful of countries. Critics counter that securitization has allowed industrial and political actors to push through projects by weakening environmental oversight, accelerating approvals, and marginalizing opposition.

    Concerns have grown following the European Commission’s designation of dozens of strategic projects through processes that critics describe as opaque and lacking public participation. Civil society organisations report that requests for environmental information have been denied on national security grounds, marking an unprecedented application of defence-related exemptions in environmental governance. In several member states, officials have also portrayed opposition from local communities and environmental groups as threats to public security or economic stability.

    Observers warn that this narrative risks fostering democratic erosion by restricting access to information, delegitimizing environmental activism, and prioritizing industrial interests over public participation. They argue that mining-related conflicts long associated with the “resource curse” in developing countries, such as social polarization, corruption, and weakened rule of law, are now emerging within Europe itself.

    While EU institutions maintain that strategic mineral development is essential for the green transition, defence, and industrial resilience, critics say the current approach reflects a structural contradiction. Efforts to accelerate extraction and processing are colliding with the EU’s own legal commitments to environmental protection, human rights, and transparency.

    As Europe moves to expand domestic mining and overseas supply chains, the outcome of this securitized approach to raw materials policy may determine whether the EU can reconcile strategic autonomy with its democratic and environmental foundations.