February 2, 2026 10:16 PM
EU efforts to diversify critical raw material imports fail so far, auditors say
The European Court of Auditors said on Monday the EU's efforts to diversify its imports of metals and minerals critical to tech, defence and the energy transition had "yet to produce tangible results". The EU's Critical Raw Materials Act in 2024 set a plan to boost local production of 34 strategic materials to reduce an over-reliance on imports from just a few countries - mainly China, Turkey and Chile. The list includes lithium, antimony, tungsten, copper and rare earth elements needed to man...