Expert network on Critical raw materials (CSA) -

Expected Outcome

Projects outcomes will enable achieving the expected impacts of the destination by increasing access to primary raw materials and secondary raw materials, in particular critical raw materials (CRM) [1] for EU industrial value chains and strategic sectors.

Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

-Strengthening the expert capacity in the EU in a wide range of raw materials along the whole value chain;

-Better informed and more effective decision-making by the EU and National policy makers and the producers and users of raw materials regarding the supply and demand of raw materials and the associated environmental and social aspects;

-Improving EU official statistics and building the EU knowledge base of primary and secondary raw materials.

-Improving awareness of society across the EU about importance of the critical raw materials and other relevant materials for strategic value chains in support of the implementation of the green and digital transitions;

-In the longer term improved diversification of CRMs supply to the EU.

-Improve responsible supply of raw materials to the EU in line with the EU principles for sustainable raw materials, which are a non-regulatory set of principles based on the EU acquis. They set out requirements for sustainable raw materials and extraction and processing in Europe in terms of social, environmental and economic performance.[2]

Actions are expected to contribute to the implementation the EU action plan on Critical Raw Materials.[3]

Scope

Actions should strengthen an EU expert network and community covering all raw materials screened in the CRM assessment of 2020 , and additional raw materials screened in 2023 assessment (neon, krypton, xenon, roundwood). Flexibility in screening additional raw materials is an added value.

The consortium should build the EU expert community covering each screened raw material with expertise on primary and secondary resources; production, including exploration, mining, processing, recycling and refining; substitution of CRM; raw materials markets; future demand and supply; supply risk management and stress tests; materials flows; raw materials standardisation; socio-economic analysis, and strategic value chains and end-use sectors, including batteries, e-mobility, renewable energy, electronics, security and aerospace.

The actions should flexibly support the Commission in policy making related to Critical Raw Materials in general or linked to specific applications or sectors; as well in the relevant events organised by the Commission.

The actions should also improve data and knowledge on all screened raw materials; and support the Commission in the analysis of the future supply and demand of raw materials, technology gaps and innovation potential along the raw materials value chains.

The action should update the data and information fact sheets from the previous criticality exercise for all screened raw materials, and ensure their quality by relevant raw material experts. Factsheets are to be finalised by the end of 2025, and could be fine-tuned before publication expected in 2026.

The action is expected to organise two expert validation workshops in 2025 to support the EU criticality assessment, and validate draft factsheets for all screened materials. On request of the Commission, organise in-depth workshops on several strategic metals (agreed with the Commission) for renewable energy, e-mobility and security with recognised commodity experts from industry and other organisations.

The action should provide policy briefs and analyses based on requests from the Commission and proposed work shall be coordinated with the Commission's work and relevance reviewed in the light of policy development and needs.

The actions should envisage clustering activities with other relevant selected projects for cross-projects co-operation, consultations and joint activities on cross-cutting issues and share of results as well as participating in joint meetings and communication events. To this end proposals should foresee a dedicated work package and/or task, and earmark the appropriate resources accordingly.

[1]https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en

[2]https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/6d541f66-0f81-11ec-9151-01aa75ed71a1

[3]COM (2020) 474

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