MEP Asimakopoulou welcomed the signing of the EU’s first strategic international partnerships to secure the supply of Critical Raw Materials, a decade after the EU first published its first list of Critical Raw Materials.

MEP Asimakopoulou noted that new partnerships could lead to development of joint venture projects in the private sector, help engagement in joint mapping projects, and promote sharing of best practices when it comes to the secondary use of raw materials.

MEP Asimakopoulou called for the inclusion of the electric vehicle supply chain into the EU Innovation Fund. This inclusion alongside the renewable energy generation supply chain in the EIF would help to fund projects like the expansion of the rare earth separation facility that operates in Estonia, the only one of its kind in the EU.

MEP Asimakopoulou argued that the inclusion of the electric vehicle supply chain in the EIF is vital as the EU is currently reliant on China for its production of rare earths with China accounting for 55% of rare earth production and 85% of refining output.

MEP Asimakopoulou declared that “the Green and Digital transition rests on our ability to access key critical raw materials. Period.”

MEP Asimakopoulou stated that “Our policies must help to invigorate these types of joint projects in the private sector. Again, we see a role for the Strategic International Partnerships on Critical Raw Materials here.”

MEP Asimakopoulou was speaking at the 8th annual High Level Conference of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials hosted by the European Commission and EUMICON in a session entitled “Strategic Dependencies, Partnerships and Trade”. MEP Asimakopoulou spoke alongside Denis Redonnet (European Commission), Fréderic Cerencotte (Carester) and Rob Van Gils (Hammerer Aluminium Industries).