The EU adjusts the catalog of key raw materials

The EU adjusts the catalog of key raw materials: artificial graphite is added, natural graphite is still listed!

The European Union adjusts the catalog of critical raw materials. The revised bill includes aluminum in the catalog of critical raw materials, increasing the number of critical raw materials in the EU to 34. At the same time, artificial graphite has been added to the list of the 17th strategic raw material, and natural graphite is already in this catalog.

According to comprehensive foreign media reports, on Monday, the European Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement on local supply targets for key minerals, providing the possibility to reduce external dependence on key raw materials such as lithium and nickel.

In March, in order to improve the competitiveness of clean technology products, the European Commission proposed the "Critical Raw Materials Act". The bill proposes that 10% of the annual supply of 16 key raw materials required by the EU in 2030 should come from local mining, 15% from recycling, and 40% from local processing. The bill emphasizes that any strategic raw material such as rare earths, lithium, cobalt, copper, magnesium and titanium cannot rely more than 65% on any third country.

After negotiations, the revised bill included aluminum in the list of critical raw materials, increasing the number of critical raw materials in the EU to 34. At the same time, artificial graphite has been added to the list of the 17th strategic raw material, and natural graphite is already in this catalog.

Additionally, the regeneration target is increased from 15% to 25%. Representatives of the European Parliament also proposed that the European Commission should pass a relevant bill in 2027 to link recycling targets to the annual recycling volume of waste rather than consumption.

According to the agreement, the approval time for mining project licenses cannot exceed 27 months and processing projects cannot exceed 15 months, including public consultation time for the project's environmental impact assessment.

The bill also contains provisions to control consumption.

The bill requires companies engaged in battery production, hydrogen production, renewable energy generation, data storage and transmission, and aircraft manufacturing to conduct regular supply chain risk assessments if they face shortages of strategic raw materials.

EU industry chief Thierry Breton said in a statement that if no action is taken, Europe will face the risk of supply shortages and over-reliance on strategic raw materials, and the bill can guarantee high environmental and social standards.

The EU will work with member states to identify strategic projects that could benefit from improved approval procedures and easier financing, Breton added.

The European Council and the EU Parliament have yet to formally adopt the interim agreement.