Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, highlighted the importance of closer cooperation among European countries in securing and storing critical raw materials during a meeting with EU lawmakers in Strasbourg. She emphasized that this action is intended to reduce the EU's dependence on China.
Action for Securing Critical Raw Materials
Von der Leyen said at the meeting: "We urgently need to secure and build reserves." She added: "No country can do this alone. Therefore, we need to think differently, and for this reason, we will establish a new European cooperation in the field of critical raw materials." This cooperation will help European countries obtain and store what they need for their industries, especially for electric vehicles, chips, and batteries.
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Dependence on China and Its Consequences
This European official also noted that the issue of dependence on China goes beyond securing raw materials and impacts the future of Europe's industry and the continent's security. According to EU statistics, this bloc currently relies on China for over 80% of many critical raw materials, and for some rare elements, it reaches up to 90%. China also holds a significant share of rare metal processing, which is essential for the electronics industry and the production of electric vehicles and magnets.
Materials such as lithium and cobalt are among the critical raw materials. Given the rapid growth of the electronics industry and the increasing demand for electric vehicles, this action could help reduce Europe's dependence on China and strengthen the security of raw material supply.
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