ECA publishes report on ‘Critical raw materials’

On Monday 2 February, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) will publish a special report on EU actions to ensure a long-term, secure supply of critical raw materials for the energy transition by 2030.

Ensuring a secure supply of critical raw materials is essential for achieving the EU’s energy objectives, especially in view of the increasing share of renewables. However, the situation is not promising: for most critical raw materials, the EU is highly (if not solely) dependent on third countries. For example, China provides 97 % of the EU’s magnesium (used in hydrogen-generating electrolysers) and Türkiye provides 99 % of the EU’s boron (used in solar panels). In response, the EU has taken a number of steps in recent years, including the adoption of the Critical Raw Materials Act, which aims to increase EU capacity for strategic raw materials (so-called due to their high economic importance and supply risks) by 2030.

The report assesses EU action to increase the security of supply of critical materials. In particular, the auditors analyse the EU’s ambitions to diversify imports, increase domestic production, and improve reuse and recycling.

ECA press office will hold an online briefing on Monday 2 February. Journalists who wish to participate should contact [email protected] for details. The report and press release will be published on the ECA website eca.europa.eu at 5:00 p.m. CET on Monday 2 February.

The ECA member responsible for this report is Keit Pentus-Rosimannus.

The ECA’s special reports set out the results of its audits of EU policies and programmes or management topics related to specific budgetary areas. The ECA selects and designs these audit tasks to be of maximum impact by considering the risks to performance or compliance, the level of income or spending involved, forthcoming developments and political and public interest.