EIT RawMaterials will manage the stakeholder consultation process across the entire raw materials value chain, working with an innovation project-driven community, which brings together more than 150 industrial and non-industrial actors with the common objective of securing the supply of sustainable raw and advanced materials for industrial ecosystems in order to build Europe’s resilience and competitiveness.

The European Commission, represented by Vice President Šefčovič and Commissioner Breton, launched the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA), with the presence of other EU Institutions, national Ministers, industry, unions and civil society organisations as well as key industry stakeholders.

The new alliance has been established in recognition of the critical importance of raw materials to the EU’s security, sustainability and industrial leadership. If Europe is to deliver a Green Deal, a digital transition and remain a leader in future technologies, it faces a significant increase in demand for critical raw materials.

The European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) will identify barriers, opportunities and investment cases to build capacity at all stages of the raw materials value chain, from mining to waste recovery. In a first phase, the alliance focuses on the most pressing need, which is to increase EU resilience in the rare earths and permanent magnets value chains, as these are vital to most EU industrial ecosystems. In addition to rapidly rising demand driven by electric vehicles and energy storage, demand for rare earths critical for products like wind turbines could increase ten-fold by 2050. Later, it will expand to address other critical and strategic raw material and base metal needs, such as Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion.

Raw materials are key enablers for a globally competitive, green, and digital Europe 

Metals, minerals, and raw materials are vital to most European industries, including renewable energy, automotive, consumer electronics, defence and aerospace. Reliable, secure, and sustainable access to raw materials is a precondition for Europe’s Green Deal, digital transition, and the continent’s future industrial competitiveness and innovation capacity of Europe. At present Europe is highly dependent on raw materials from countries with less stringent environmental, social and human rights standards, and less stable economies.

For more information about the European Raw Materials Alliance, follow ERMA on Twitter and LinkedIn.

ERMA WEBSITE