RESHAPING EUROPE

Tackling the EU's dependency on raw materials

Europe’s industries have been striving on imported raw materials, which has created a strong dependency on resource providers. In particular, China has established itself as the main provider of numerous critical raw materials, the disruption of which, if used a political instrument to impose pressure in an age of increasing geopolitical divergence, could seriously endanger economic stability in Europe. This study investigates Europe’s options to diversify raw material sourcing and takes a close look at one of its major strategic resource autonomy projects: the circular economy.

Taking rare earth elements as an example, it evaluates circular strategies that have already proved efficient in Europe in specific sectors and offers suggestions on how to make these approaches more widely applicable.