Summary
This Cefic view paper highlights the need for a comprehensive EU raw material policy to support industrial competitiveness and ensure security of affordable supply. Cefic calls for a holistic EU strategy that aligns trade, industrial, and foreign policy tools with regulatory and financial support to secure a resilient and competitive raw material supply. Improved international partnerships, stronger EU investment incentives, and a comprehensive approach not limited to Critical Raw Materials are key to strengthening Europe’s position in the global raw materials race. This paper outlines key policies contributing to these goals, extending on Cefic’s comprehensive EU Trade Policy Paper. We further present our analysis of top 10 Critical Raw Materials (Phosphorus – and phosphate rock as primary material, cobalt, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, copper, lithium, magnesium, silicon metal, nickel, fluorspar) and top 3 biomass inputs (sugar, palm oil, bio-ethanol).
Key recommendations
- Strengthening Free Trade Agreements & developing meaningful Raw Material Partnerships
- Diversification & Investment in Global Supply Chains
- Expanding Beyond Critical Raw Materials (CRMs): Biomass as a Strategic Resource