During the State of the European Union address, Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen announced the EU's plans to put forward a European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM Act).
The legislation aims to create a secure, affordable, and sustainable access to the CRMs Europe needs to achieve climate neutrality. President von der Leyen emphasised that the EU market is not prepared for the raise in demand of CRMs and that the EU cannot continue to rely solely on trade with third countries, as supply chain disruptions are unpredictable.
On 30 September, the European Commission launched the call for evidence and public consultation in preparation for the CRM Act. Stakeholders are invited to provide comments and evidence and reply to targeted questions on the current problems faced along the critical raw materials supply chain within and outside of the EU and how to address them. The questions cover the different stages of the value chain, from extraction to processing and recycling.
The deadline for feedback is 25 November and the legislative proposal is expected in Q1 2023.
In parallel, during the COMPET Council of 29 September, Germany and France presented their joint position on the CRM Act, and proposed a three pillar structure for the upcoming legislation, based on (1) strengthening crisis management and early warning systems, (2) evaluating existing financing instruments and (3) ensuring fair-trade and sustainable market framework.
To access the public consultation, click here.