{"id":34348,"date":"2023-09-01T11:04:52","date_gmt":"2023-09-01T10:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=34348"},"modified":"2023-09-01T11:16:40","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T10:16:40","slug":"elevating-europes-raw-materials-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/elevating-europes-raw-materials-industry\/34348\/","title":{"rendered":"Elevating Europe\u2019s raw materials industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
Critical raw materials are vital for a wide range of strategic sectors, including the net zero industry. As the world transitions to clean energy, the need to secure a sustainable supply of raw materials is increasing in importance.<\/p>\n
Currently, Europe relies heavily on imports of raw materials. However, disturbances in supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, for example, have highlighted the importance of having a domestic supply of materials.<\/p>\n
Established in 2015, EIT RawMaterials is a key European actor set up to advance Europe\u2019s transition to clean energy.<\/p>\n
In May this year, the organisation held the fifth edition of the Raw Materials Summit attracting attendees from around the globe to discuss the latest breakthroughs within Europe\u2019s raw materials sector.<\/p>\n
Here, we spoke to Bernd Sch\u00e4fer, CEO and Managing Director of EIT RawMaterials, about the role of the organisation and the Summit in Europe\u2019s raw materials industry.<\/p>\n
EIT RawMaterials is the leading European raw materials network. It aims to advance Europe\u2019s transition into a sustainable economy.<\/p>\n
Our mission is to secure a sustainable raw materials supply for Europe, close materials loops, and design product solutions to ultimately develop raw materials into a major strength for Europe by driving innovation, education, and entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n
The Summit is a forum that brings the industry together to network, identify potential collaboration opportunities, and gain and share important insights impacting their part of the value chain or the sector as a whole.<\/p>\n
The Summit comes at a time that the topic of raw materials is being given huge political priority. The Summit highlights the urgent need to accelerate and simplify processes to make Europe\u2019s green transition and strategic independence a reality.<\/p>\n
Europe has immense potential for innovation and scale-up, paving the way for a net-zero and regenerative economy. None of these – be it exploration, mining, recycling, or innovation – can be realised without substantial and prompt investment.<\/p>\n
EU leaders have accepted the proposal by EIT RawMaterials for the proposed launch of a European Raw Materials Academy and this was included within the proposed Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA)<\/a>. More details on this to come soon.<\/p>\nThe European Critical Raw Materials Act was also a major topic of the Summit, with a poll suggesting that 54% of attendees were unsure about the Act. What benefits will the proposal bring about and what more must be done?<\/h3>\n