The European Commission has announced the selection of 47 Strategic Projects that will play a crucial role in strengthening Europe’s access to critical raw materials. This marks a significant step in implementing the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which came into force in May 2024. The projects are key to achieving the CRMA’s 2030 targets, which aim to ensure that 10% of strategic raw materials are extracted in the EU, 40% are processed domestically, and 25% are sourced from recycled materials.
The 47 projects, spread across 13 Member States, cover the full raw materials value chain, including extraction, processing, recycling, and substitution. While some projects focus on specific stages of the supply chain, others integrate multiple functions. Of the total, 25 projects are focused on extraction, 24 on processing, 10 on recycling, and 2 on substitution. These projects are particularly important for sectors like battery manufacturing, renewable energy technologies, aerospace, and defence.
A significant portion of the selected projects focuses on materials essential for electrification, such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese, all of which are crucial for battery production. In addition, projects targeting tungsten and magnesium highlight the EU’s commitment to supporting strategic sectors like defence and high-tech manufacturing.
Together, these initiatives are expected to generate approximately €22.5 billion in investment. To support their development, the European Commission is working closely with Member States, financial institutions, and industrial partners to provide funding, visibility, and help connect developers with relevant off-takers.
One challenge for these projects is the long permitting process. To address this, the CRMA includes measures to streamline approvals. Extraction projects will have a permitting timeline capped at 27 months, while processing, recycling, and substitution projects must be approved within 15 months. These changes aim to ensure faster implementation, providing greater predictability for developers while still adhering to high environmental, social, and governance standards.
