The critical raw materials act: an EU pivot
EU rules on critical raw materials help secure the materials essential to Europe's economy, supporting strategic industries while strengthening the EU's capacity to extract, process, recycle and diversify supply sources.
The importance of critical raw materials
The EU's demand for base metals, battery materials, rare earths and more is set to increase significantly, given their wide applications in a number of expanding industries, that include the development of clean energy systems and increased investment in chips, space, defence and other high-tech sectors.
The EU has adjusted its strategic stance to secure access to raw materials that are considered critical.
On 23 May 2024, the critical raw materials act (CRMA) entered into force. Its aim is to systematically address dependency on supplies coming from non-EU countries, strengthen Europe's industrial resilience and reduce the risk of supply disruptions affecting key sectors of the economy.
Critical raw materials explained
Reducing dependency and securing supply
The CRMA aims to reduce the EU's dependency on third-country suppliers of strategic raw materials. To that end, it sets four non-binding benchmarks, to be met by 2030, for each one of the 17 identified strategic raw materials.
At least 10% of the EU's annual consumption from EU extraction.
At least 40% of the EU's annual consumption from EU processing.
At least 25% of the EU's annual consumption from recycling.
No single non-EU country to supply more than 65% of any strategic raw materials.
Shaping the supply pipeline
Bringing new critical raw material projects to fruition takes time. The CRMA sets ambitious timelines for public administrations and asks member states to set up single points of contact to avoid delays. In addition, strategic projects should be assigned priority status to speed up administrative procedures.
Strategic projects
Strategic projects are a central tool of the CRMA. These projects are investments in mining, processing and recycling that the Commission designates as a priority for the EU's supply security, after consultation with the member state involved.
In member states, projects with this status are to benefit from:
- faster permits
- easier access to financing
- stronger political backing
Although most CRMs are supplied from abroad, and mostly from China, some CRMs are sourced within the EU itself. Expanding this domestic base is a central aim of the CRMA, in addition to international strategic partnerships for projects abroad.
The first round of designations, completed in 2025, produced 60 projects: 47 within the EU across 13 member states, and 13 in partner countries. Together they cover 14 of the 17 strategic raw materials.
Faster permitting
Permitting has historically been one of the most significant bottlenecks to developing raw material projects in Europe.
The CRMA introduces binding timelines for permit decisions and requires each member state to establish a single point of contact for project developers, providing a clearer and faster route through national processes.
International partnerships: broadening the supplier base
Diversifying supply means building reliable relationships with a broader range of countries, so that no single supplier can disrupt European industry.
The EU's strategic partnerships on raw materials include both formal agreements and partnerships at various stages of development.
As of early 2026, the EU has established strategic partnerships with 16 countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Norway, Rwanda, Serbia, South Africa, Ukraine, the United States of America, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.
In November 2025, the EU signed a clean trade and investment partnership with South Africa, which includes a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals and metals value chains (the full path from ore in the ground to a finished product, including mining, processing, manufacturing, transport, and recycling).
Further securing the EU's supply
On 4 March 2026, the Council adopted its position on the proposed amendments to the critical raw materials act. These proposed amendments aim to strengthen the EU’s security of supply and enhance the circularity of critical raw materials in response to growing geopolitical pressures affecting access to these resources.
Building on the Commission's RESourceEU action plan presented in December 2025, the proposed changes seek to increase recycling capacity and strengthen the secondary market for critical raw materials, in particular the use of permanent magnets that are used in strategic sectors such as the automotive, artificial intelligence and defence industries.
The Council position also:
- provides for the notification of member states and company boards in the event of risks affecting the supply of CRMs
- clarifies the Commission's powers to propose measures aimed at mitigating supply risks
- enables the use of product passports to fulfil information requirements relating to permanent magnets
The Council and the Parliament will negotiate and discuss the final shape of the laws.
Last review: 13 August 2026