The European Parliament is voting on amendments to strengthen the EU's control over critical raw materials, aiming to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, especially China, and to establish a European Critical Raw Materials Centre to coordinate purchases, assess risks, and support strategic reserves.

Authorities emphasize recycling and material recovery to cut newly extracted resources, though they acknowledge these efforts cannot fully replace imports needed for rising tech demand.

The broader objective is to align European industrial policy with economic security by diversifying supply chains and securing alternative sources and partnerships, while still recognizing the need for international cooperation for certain minerals.

Under the Critical Raw Materials Act targets in force since May 2024, the goal is 10% of annual consumption from extraction, 40% from processing, and 25% from recycling, with a cap of 65% of any material from a single non-EU country at any processing stage; these are benchmarks, not binding quotas.

Amendments seek to bolster European capacity to respond to interruptions in supplies of minerals and processed materials essential for defense, batteries, magnets, semiconductors, and advanced electronics.

The proposed centre would consolidate functions now spread across EU institutions and national authorities, including identifying supply vulnerabilities, conducting risk assessments, coordinating contingency stocks, and supporting joint purchasing.

China’s dominant role in refining and supplying several critical materials creates vulnerabilities for the EU, as disruptions in processing can impact multiple member states and industries.

Amendments would increase the European Commission’s oversight by requiring large manufacturers to assess supply chain vulnerabilities and consider measures such as diversification, improved material efficiency, or maintaining strategic stocks.