Brussels: The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it has adopted an initial list of 13 strategic projects focused on critical raw materials located outside the European Union. This move seeks to diversify the EU’s supply sources and bolster the bloc’s economic security while supporting local value chains in the host countries.
According to Kuwait News Agency, this announcement complements a previously adopted list of 47 strategic projects within the EU, endorsed on March 25, 2025. Together, these 60 projects are part of the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act, which came into effect in May 2024. These initiatives are considered a key pillar of the EU’s new industrial strategy, particularly in light of current geopolitical challenges and the increasing need to support the green and digital transitions.
The Commission stated that the newly selected projects are located in countries that have established strategic partnerships with the EU in raw materials value chains. These countries include Canada, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Norway, Serbia, Ukraine, and Zambia, along with overseas territories such as New Caledonia. Other project sites include Brazil, Madagascar, Malawi, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Of the 13 projects, ten focus on extracting strategic raw materials essential for battery production, energy storage, and electric mobility, specifically lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. Two additional projects involve the extraction of rare earth elements, which are used to produce high-performance magnets critical for wind turbines and electric motors, vital components in renewable energy technologies and electro-mobility. Other materials covered include copper, which is used in power grids and microelectronics, as well as tungsten and boron, both crucial in the automotive, aerospace, energy, and defense industries.
The Commission also confirmed plans to intensify cooperation with countries hosting these projects, particularly through existing strategic partnerships, to ensure their effective development and implementation. This initiative forms part of the EU’s broader effort to reduce its dependency on external sources for critical raw materials, which are essential for many strategic industries, including renewable energy, electric transportation, defense, and space technologies.