European Commission Selects 46 New Strategic Projects to Strengthen Critical Raw Material Supply Chains
Initiatives across 16 EU Member States aim to boost domestic extraction, processing and recycling, reducing dependence on external suppliers
Brussels, October 9, 2026: The European Commission has announced the selection of 46 additional Strategic Projects across 16 European Union (EU) Member States to strengthen Europe’s access to critical raw materials and improve the resilience of its industrial supply chains.
The projects form part of the EU’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on individual foreign suppliers, expand domestic production capabilities and support industries that are essential to the green and digital transitions, defence, aerospace and advanced manufacturing.
The initiative supports the objectives of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which aims to ensure that by 2030 the EU can meet at least 10% of its annual consumption of strategic raw materials through domestic extraction, 40% through processing within the bloc, and 25% through recycling.
Projects Spread Across 16 Member States
The selected initiatives are located in Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden.
The European Commission selected the projects from 102 applications submitted during the second application round, which closed in January 2026. The initiatives cover 15 of the 17 strategic raw materials identified under the CRMA.
The 46 projects span different stages of the raw materials supply chain:
- 8 extraction projects focused on obtaining raw materials.
- 11 processing projects aimed at developing domestic refining and processing capabilities.
- 19 recycling projects designed to recover valuable materials from used products and waste.
- 8 integrated projects combining different stages of the supply chain, including extraction with processing and processing with recycling.
This approach is intended to develop a more connected European raw materials industry, from the initial extraction of resources to their processing and eventual recovery for reuse.
Supporting Batteries, Defence and Aerospace
A major focus of the new project portfolio is strengthening supply chains for batteries, permanent magnets, defence equipment and aerospace technologies.
The selected projects include:
- Lithium: 7 projects
- Nickel: 12 projects
- Cobalt: 10 projects
- Manganese: 5 projects
- Graphite: 4 projects
These materials are important components of the EU’s battery value chain, particularly for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
The portfolio also includes two projects involving magnesium and three involving tungsten, materials relevant to defence and aerospace applications. Four projects focus on rare earth elements, which are essential for permanent magnets used in electric motors, wind turbines and other advanced technologies.
Contribution to Europe’s 2030 Targets
The European Commission expects the newly selected projects, together with previously approved initiatives, to make a substantial contribution towards the EU’s raw material supply and diversification objectives.
The combined portfolio includes 47 Strategic Projects selected within the EU in March 2025 and 13 projects in non-EU countries selected in June 2025.
According to the Commission’s assessment, the expanded portfolio could fully meet the EU’s 2030 extraction benchmarks for lithium, nickel, rare earth elements, magnesium and tungsten. It could also fully satisfy the processing benchmarks for lithium and rare earth elements.
For cobalt processing, the projects could cover approximately 89% of the relevant benchmark. The expected contribution to processing targets for tungsten and magnesium stands at 57% and 51%, respectively.
The combined projects could also fully meet the recycling benchmarks for lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements.
These projections underline the strategic importance of developing diversified supply networks while expanding Europe’s own capacity to extract, process and recover essential materials.
Earlier Projects Making Progress
The Commission has also reported progress among the first group of Strategic Projects selected in 2025.
To date, 25 projects have completed their environmental impact assessments, while 17 have obtained construction permits. The EU credits national Single Points of Contact with helping project developers navigate permitting procedures and accelerate administrative processes.
Under the RESourceEU initiative, launched in December 2025, Team Europe has mobilised more than €2 billion in committed financial support through instruments including the Innovation Fund, national State aid and the European Investment Bank.
Several projects have also advanced towards securing offtake agreements, which can provide greater certainty regarding future demand for their output.
Meanwhile, the EU’s Raw Materials Mechanism, established to help connect suppliers with potential buyers and aggregate demand, has generated more than 30 matches covering 10 materials.
Critical Raw Materials Act: Background
The Critical Raw Materials Act entered into force on 23 May 2024. It provides a framework for strengthening Europe’s capacity across critical raw material supply chains while diversifying sources of supply.
For the second Strategic Projects selection round, the Commission received 102 applications covering locations in 18 EU Member States. The Commission and external experts assessed 92 applications against criteria including supply security, technical feasibility, environmental and social standards, governance requirements and cross-border benefits.
The selection process also involved consultation with the Critical Raw Materials Board, comprising representatives of EU Member States, with the European Parliament participating as an observer.
The Commission has indicated that another call for Strategic Project applications is expected towards the end of 2026.
Europe’s Push for Greater Industrial Independence
Commenting on the latest selection, Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, said the new projects represent an intensified European effort to secure access to critical raw materials.
He highlighted the EU’s focus on developing mines, expanding processing and recycling capacity, and reinforcing supply chains through the resources and funding available under the RESourceEU initiative.
The latest announcement reflects Europe’s determination to strengthen industrial competitiveness, reduce strategic vulnerabilities and build more resilient supply chains for technologies that will shape its economic and security priorities in the coming years.
For further information: The European Commission has published detailed questions and answers, a factsheet, the complete list of selected Strategic Projects and background material on the Critical Raw Materials Act through its official website.
News Desk: Suman Munshi
IBG NEWS.
