EU Raw Materials Strategy

The global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2030, including 3 billion new middle-class consumers. All of these have the right to secure their livelihoods and, if possible, increase their standards of living, as always in human civilization. This will increase demand for products and their related raw materials. In order to meet this challenge and to accomplish it with sustainably sourced raw materials, a shift towards more resource efficient production, increased recovery and reprocessing along the value chains and the end of life of products will be also important. Mineral raw materials will be decisive for a transition to a Low-Carbon society.

Euromines welcomes the Commission Communication “Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability”. This document confirms the principles of the Raw Materials Initiative, launched in 2008 with the main objective of assure a sustainable and safe supply of mineral raw materials to the European industry and society, through 3 balanced pillars. We also wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) which aims to make Europe economically more resilient by diversifying its supply chains, creating jobs, attracting investments to the raw materials value chain, fostering innovation, training young talents and contributing to the best enabling framework for raw materials and the Circular Economy worldwide.

The economic importance of the raw materials sector goes far beyond the sector’s own economic activities. Whilst engaging about 350.000 jobs within the EU, there are more than 24.6 million jobs in downstream manufacturing industries depend on the secure supply of raw materials. Raw materials depending industries in the EU provided 206 billion EUR of added value.*

*Raw Materials Scoreboard, European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials, European Union, 2018