Critical Raw Materials: securing Europe’s supply and strategic autonomy

The scheme, voted on by Parliament on Tuesday, seeks to channel targeted support to strategic projects covering the whole value chain, from mining and processing to refining and recycling. These measures are designed to speed up extraction, processing, recycling and substitution capacities, thereby diversifying EU supply chains.

Creation of a European critical raw materials centre

MEPs want to establish a critical raw materials (CRM) centre as a self-standing EU agency, with dedicated funding, clear governance and democratic legitimacy. It would bring together market intelligence, resilience planning, stockpiling, joint purchasing, stakeholder engagement, and financial instruments.. The proposed centre should be equipped, MEPs argue, with the resources necessary to fulfil its mandate, including a CRM Fund of €2 billion foreseen under the EU’s 2028-2034 long-term budget.

Export control and resilience obligations

To help secure supply, MEPs say there is a need for a conditional export control clause, allowing the Commission to restrict the export of permanent magnet scrap and waste so recyclable material remains within the EU.

The European Commission, rather than individual member states, would be responsible for identifying which “large companies” use critical raw materials in a particular strategic sector (e.g. batteries, hydrogen equipment, aircraft, drones, satellites or advanced chips), their use of which would trigger resilience obligations for the companies, such as mapping supply chains and taking measures to reduce vulnerabilities. MEPs also want the Commission to open applications for strategic projects at least twice a year, giving companies clear and predictable deadlines.

Price-stabilisation mechanisms, defence and security

To improve the overall effectiveness of the framework, MEPs call for price-stabilisation mechanisms such as contracts for difference (CfDs), which could give developers of extraction, processing and recycling projects revenue certainty. They also want to expand the EU’s existing joint‑purchasing mechanism to facilitate the coordinated strategic stock‑piling of critical raw materials across member states and businesses.

Parliament references the defence and security dimension of critical raw materials, demanding that the forthcoming European Defence Industry Programme be mobilised to finance strategic raw‑material projects that are vital for the EU’s security and defence capabilities.

Quote

“Critical raw materials have become the currency of geopolitical power. Those who control them, control our industrial future, our energy transition, and our security. Europe cannot afford to stand on the sidelines while others strengthen their control over critical raw materials. We need a European critical raw materials centre with the financial resources and mandate to act quickly to anticipate supply disruptions and to ensure that our needs cannot be turned into instruments of geopolitical pressure. We are ready to work with trusted, like-minded countries who share our commitment to secure supply chains and uphold the same high environmental and social standards,” lead MEP Mohammed Chahim (S&D, Netherlands) said.

Next steps

The report was adopted with 470 votes to 83, with 108 abstentions. Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with member states on the final shape of the law.

Background

The Critical Raw Materials Act, adopted by Parliament in December 2023, laid the groundwork for an EU‑wide toolbox that guarantees industry access to the raw‑material inputs essential for the clean‑energy, digital, defence and aerospace transitions. The Commission proposed amendments to the CRMA in December 2025, stemming from the RESourceEU Action Plan.