Mining for Europe’s future: Critical raw materials, public attitudes and risks in enlargement partners
fanny.pollet@i…
Thu, 07/23/2026 – 10:16
10 minutes
The technologies underpinning the EU’s green transition (batteries and wind turbines), digital transition (semiconductors) and rearmament (advanced weapons systems) rely on a narrow set of materials whose supply and processing remain concentrated in a handful of foreign countries. Around 98% of the EU’s borates supply originates in Türkiye while over 90% of rare earth elements used in permanent magnets globally are refined in China(1). This poses a critical challenge for European economic security.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.Data: Geological Service for Europe, 2026; Reeserve, 2026
The 2024 Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA)(2) aims to reduce the EU’s dependencies by promoting diversification, resilient value chains and strategic partnerships. Enlargement partners hold substantial reserves of critical raw materials (CRMs) that the EU can leverage to achieve greater global supply autonomy. Ukraine sits on significant deposits …read more