Networking to secure rare earth elements

Raw materials are crucial to Europe’s economy and key to maintaining and improving our quality of life. But securing reliable access to certain raw materials is a growing concern. This is why the European Commission created a list of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). The list includes rare earth elements cobalt and niobium. Europe’s CRM strategy was strengthened through an expert network built by the EU-funded SCRREEN project, which ended in 2020. Its successor, SCRREEN2, was launched to develop the SCRREEN expert network to cover all raw materials. Specifically, SCRREEN2 will develop the network and publish sector-oriented outlook reports analysing the future supply and demand of raw materials. The project will support the Commission in policymaking related to CRMs.