TL:DR – EU, US, and Japan to sign agreement on critical minerals supply chain in 30 days

• The European Union is set to sign a memorandum of understanding with the United States and Japan to enhance critical minerals supply chain security within 30 days.
• Stéphane Séjourné represents the EU in discussions hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following an EU audit highlighting dependence on China for minerals.
• The US plans to establish a trading bloc for critical raw materials and proposed price floors to support domestic supply chains, according to US vice president J.D. Vance.
• Italy and Germany submitted a document to the European Commission, emphasising coordination on critical raw materials and support for the EU-US partnership.

EU, US and Japan to cooperate on critical raw materials supply chains

The European Union is moving closer to finalising a partnership with the United States and Japan aimed at enhancing economic and national security by securing the supply of critical raw materials, according to a statement released this week. The EU, the US, and Japan are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding within the next 30 days to boost the security of the critical minerals supply chain.

This partnership is significant as it seeks to identify areas of cooperation to stimulate demand and diversify supply, particularly through projects in mining, refining, processing, and recycling. The initiative also aims to prevent supply chain disruptions, foster research and innovation, and facilitate information exchange on stockpiling.

Stéphane Séjourné Represents EU in Discussions

Stéphane Séjourné, the EU’s industry chief, is leading discussions hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, shortly after an EU audit highlighted the bloc’s heavy dependence on China for these vital minerals. The first “Critical Minerals Ministerial” meeting took place on Wednesday in Washington, DC, with over 50 countries invited to explore collective efforts to strengthen and diversify critical minerals supply chains.

Rubio stated, “We stand ready and intend to work with each country here today to find a specialised role that you can play,” emphasising the potential for collaboration among the largest consumers of critical mineral products. US Vice President J.D. Vance announced plans for a trading bloc for these minerals to establish price floors, aiming to provide more predictable prices to support domestic supply chains.

Italy and Germany’s Joint Commitment to Raw Materials

In Europe, Italy and Germany submitted a document to the European Commission on Tuesday, reinforcing their commitment to critical raw materials and aiming to reduce strategic dependencies for European companies. This initiative follows pledges made by the two nations’ foreign ministers at the Italy-Germany Summit held in January.

Robin Roels, Policy Officer for Raw Materials at the European Environmental Bureau, expressed concerns about the EU’s shift from strategic autonomy under pressure from the US, stating that real autonomy involves investing in recycling and breaking away from the linear consumption model that has contributed to current crises.
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