7 November 2024

Euractiv Network Office

In the race to combat climate change and secure a sustainable future, European critical raw materials are seen as essential in powering the EU's green technologies. These technologies involve products and processes that use renewable materials and energy sources, minimise emissions and waste, and have a low environmental impact. From solar panels to electric vehicles, semi-conductors and electrolysers, CRMs are the backbone of technologies aiming to curb pollution and promote sustainability.

However, the path to a greener Europe is paved with challenges. Many industry sources claim that skyrocketing energy costs, restricted access to renewable energy, escalating CO2 expenses, and massive decarbonisation investments are just the tip of the iceberg. Add to this the complexities of trade barriers such as Chinese export bans and U.S. restrictions on Chinese supplies, compounded by geopolitical tensions, they argue the landscape becomes even more discouraging.

The concept of the “green premium” — the additional cost of adopting cleaner, more sustainable technologies — is one of these challenges. While the benefits of sustainable choices are clear, consumers, businesses, and governments increasingly struggle to justify or afford the higher costs associated with environmentally friendly products. Many industry stakeholders claim that market dynamics currently prevent the extra costs of most CRM-based products from being passed on to end-users, creating a significant hurdle in advancing green initiatives.

Join this Euractiv Stakeholder Workshop to discuss the current strategies addressing the competitiveness of European industry and ensuring the viability of European CRM-based products through effective trade policies. Questions to be addressed include:

- How can Europe rise above existing obstacles to secure a sustainable future?
- What strategies can be implemented to reduce the burden of high energy prices - highlighted in the recent Draghi report - on the European CRM industry?
- To ensure secure supply chains, how can Europe guarantee the availability and production of essential CRMs and their auxiliary raw materials?
- To facilitate decarbonisation investments, what incentives can drive the transformation of the CRM industry towards sustainability?

Panellists
Léon Delvaux
Acting Director, Neighbouring Countries, Industry, Goods, Regulatory Cooperation and Public Procurement, DG TRADE, European Commission

Hildegard Bentele MEP
Member ITRE Committee, European Parliament

Nicoletta Zappatini
Managing Director, Olea Capital Ltd

Juan Antonio Aranzabal
General Manager, Graftech Iberica S.L., President of ECGA

Schedule
10:30 - 11:00 Registration of participants
11:00 - 11:05 Welcome
11:05 - 11:20 Panellist statements
11:20 - 12:10 Discussion and Q&A
12:10 - 12:15 Closing statements

Followed by a light networking lunch.

Find the report here