EU to reduce dependence on Chinese rare earths

The European Union (EU) is developing a strategy to reduce its dependence on critical raw materials from China.

Report informs that the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, announced this at a conference held in Berlin.

She stated that in the short term, the EU will focus on finding solutions regarding Chinese partners, while at the same time strengthening coordination efforts with other countries to ensure access to alternative mineral sources.

"The goal is to ensure access to alternative sources of critical raw materials for our European industry in the short, medium, and long term. We will accelerate our work on critical raw materials partnerships with countries such as Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Chile," said Ursula von der Leyen.

The EC head emphasized that these minerals are essential for automotive, defense, green technology, and digital industries.

"Considering that more than 90% of the rare earth magnets we consume come from China, you can see the risks for Europe and its most strategic industrial sectors," she added.