European Commission selects 47 projects to strengthen raw material supply

The European Commission has selected a total of 47 strategic projects across 13 member states to reinforce the EU’s raw material supply chain. The initiative aims to increase the capacity for extraction, processing, and recycling of these materials within the bloc, thereby reducing the EU’s reliance on external suppliers. These projects, which focus on lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, manganese, and other key elements for the technology and energy industries, will operate under a regulatory framework designed to streamline bureaucratic procedures and facilitate financing. The total projected investment for these initiatives amounts to €22.5 billion.

The projects have been chosen as part of the Critical Raw Materials Act, an EU regulation setting specific targets for the production and processing of these resources by 2030. The legislation aims for at least 10% of the EU’s total demand for raw materials to be covered by extraction within Europe, 40% of processing to take place within the bloc, and 25% of materials used to come from sustainable recycling.

The selected initiatives are distributed across Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Sweden. Among the approved projects, 25 involve extraction activities, 24 focus on material processing, 10 are dedicated to recycling, and 2 concentrate on the substitution of raw materials. These projects are expected to contribute significantly to Europe’s raw material independence. In total, these initiatives cover 14 of the 17 strategic materials identified in the EU regulation.

Selection process

The selection process for these projects considered a range of technical, environmental, and governance criteria. Additionally, the European Commission assessed their impact at the EU level, prioritising those offering cross-border benefits. Companies and entities responsible for the selected projects will have access to support mechanisms coordinated by the European Commission, member states, and EU financial institutions. These measures include access to financing from multiple sources and assistance in establishing connections with potential buyers within the European market. Moreover, these projects will benefit from a streamlined authorisation process, with significantly shorter approval timelines compared to current procedures, reducing bureaucratic delays.

Under the newly established regulatory framework, permits for extraction projects must be issued within a maximum of 27 months, while those for processing, recycling, or raw material substitution must be granted within 15 months. At present, administrative procedures can take between five and ten years, which has been identified as a major barrier to the development of new initiatives in the sector. By accelerating these approvals, the EU hopes to strengthen its industrial resilience.

New call for proposals

The Critical Raw Materials Act came into force on 23 May 2024. On the same day, the European Commission launched a call for proposals for strategic projects, with a submission deadline of 22 August that year. The evaluation of applications was carried out by external experts, who assessed whether the proposals met the criteria set out in the EU regulation. This rigorous assessment ensured that only the most viable and impactful projects were selected.

Following this assessment, the final list of projects was reviewed by the Critical Raw Materials Committee, an entity composed of representatives from EU member states, with the European Parliament participating as an observer. Deliberations took place on 20 February and 12 March 2025, after which the final list of approved projects was formally adopted. These discussions focused on ensuring that each project aligned with the EU’s strategic industrial goals.

Brussels plans to launch a new call for strategic project proposals at the end of the summer. This additional round will allow for the inclusion of further initiatives focused on the extraction, processing, recycling, and substitution of critical raw materials essential for European industry.