EU Raw Materials Initiative

Euro Mine Expo Skelleftea, 8 June 2010 Paul Anciaux

Main challenges

• • EU highly dependent on imports of important raw materials which are increasingly affected by

market distortions.

Exploration and extraction facing

increased competition

for different land uses and a highly regulated environment.

Recent developments

• Economic and financial crisis led to slowdown in growth, but continued growth by

emerging countries

will keep pressure on demand for raw materials • Raw materials as essential component of

Europe 2020 Strategy

An integrated strategy based on 3 Pillars

1. Ensure

access to raw materials markets

from at undistorted conditions;

international

2. Set the right

framework conditions

within the EU in order to foster sustainable supply of raw materials from

European sources

; 3. Boost overall

resource efficiency and promote recycling

to

reduce the EU’s consumption of primary raw materials

and decrease import dependence.

Define critical raw materials

Objective To establish - in close cooperation with Member States and stakeholders - a

list of critical raw materials

for the EU

Report

expected by mid-June 2010

Methodology

• • • • • 39 raw materials analysed Three main aggregated

indicators

(economic importance, supply risks and environmental country risks)

Substitutability Primary and secondary

Transparent methodology raw materials

Outcome

• • • •

List

of critical raw materials for the EU Analysis of impact of

technological development Profiles

for each raw material

Recommendations

Challenge trade distortion measures using all available instruments (pillar 1)

• • • On 23 June 2009

EU requested WTO consultations

on

Chinese export

restrictions on 9 raw materials (coke,

bauxite, fluorspar, silicon carbide, zinc, magnesium and manganese, silicon metal and yellow phosphorous)

US

and

Mexico

presented similar requests In January 2010 a

WTO Panel

was launched

Trade and development policies

• • •

Bilateral negotiations

on export restrictions (EU-India FTA negotiations) Raising

awareness

(OECD workshop)

Development policy

 Coordination with Member States  International coordination

Improve the regulatory framework and promote skills and research (pillar 2)

•

Guidelines

on Extractive Industry and Natura 2000 • Report on

access to land

and exchange of

best practices

expected for mid-June.

•

Skills and research

 Luleå declaration  Technology Platform on sustainable mineral resources  FP7 projects (ongoing and future)

Example of FP7 project PROMINE Nano-particle products from new mineral resources in Europe Research area:

NMP-2008-4.0-5 Innovative concepts and processes for strategic mineral supply and for new high added value mineral-based products

Project description

ProMine targets extractive and end-user industries. Included, economic evaluation, life cycle cost analysis, and environmental sustainability:

http://promine.gtk.fi

Upstream, the first ever Pan-EU

GIS based mineral resource

and advanced modelling system for the extractive industry will be created. Demonstrating the reliability of new (Bio) technologies for an

eco-efficient

production of

strategic metals

.

Downstream, a new strategy will be developed for the European extractive industry which looks not only at

increasing production

but also at

delivering high value

, tailored nano-products which will form the

new raw materials

for the manufacturing industry. ProMine research focuses on five nano-products, incl. rhenium and rhenium alloy powders.

Promote recycling and facilitate the use of secondary raw materials (pillar 3)

• • Regulation on

end-of-waste criteria

for a ferrous scrap and aluminium scrap • Studies on implementation of

Waste shipments Regulation

Eco-innovation projects (

Initiative

on

Recycling

).

Lead Market

Increase resource efficiency and foster substitution of raw materials (pillar 3)

• Give impetus to

resource efficiency

and eco innovative production processes, in line with (to be revised)

EU Thematic Strategy Sustainable use of natural resource

•

Promote research

projects on resource-efficient products and production; development of substitutes.

Way forward

• • Council Conclusions of May and December 2009 as well as March 2010

endorsed overall thrust and objectives

of RMI.

•

Implementation work

with Member States and stakeholders

.

Communication

of the European Commission to Council

by end 2010

.

Reference documents

•Communication (2008) 699 “The raw materials initiative – meeting our critical needs for growth and jobs in Europe” •Staff Working Document SEC (2008) 2741

Further info: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/raw-materials/index_en.htm