The European Commission set out an action plan on Wednesday to accelerate the implementation of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and to "preserve and expand EU production of primary and secondary critical raw materials". The RESourceEU action plan is intended to strengthen the Union’s resilience against supply disruptions and outline ways for a faster diversification of the EU industry's supply chains for critical raw materials (CRMs).
The Commission also reaffirmed its intention to introduce export duties on aluminium scrap in order to help ensure that "European smelters and recyclers retain sufficient access to essential feedstock”. Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič had announced the launch of preparatory work in November.
The action plan is accompanied by a proposal to amend the Critical Raw Materials Act with regard to rare earth permanent magnets, as well as other elements of the EU Regulation....
