The European Commission has designated 47 strategic projects across 13 member States as part of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) implementation.

The selected projects, announced on Tuesday, span multiple raw materials, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite, all essential to Europe's green and digital transitions.

To be classified as strategic, the European Commission must conclude that a critical raw material project is or will become technically feasible within a reasonable timeframe, and that there is sufficient confidence that it will achieve its expected production volumes and can be implemented sustainably.

With a total expected investment of €22.5-billion, the 47 projects will benefit from streamlined permitting processes, financial support from EU and national institutions, and improved engagement with potential offtakers. 

In line with the CRMA, the permit-granting process will not exceed 27 months for extraction projects and 15 months for other projects. Currently, permitting processes can last from five to 10 years.

The initiative aims to secure and diversify the EU's access to critical raw materials, reinforcing the bloc’s ability to meet its 2030 targets for domestic extraction, processing, and recycling. 

The CRMA sets ambitious benchmarks: 10% of the EU’s demand for strategic raw materials must be met through domestic extraction, 40% through processing, and 25% through recycling by 2030. The strategic projects were chosen based on their potential to contribute to these targets while adhering to high environmental, social, and governance standards.

"At the very start of our most strategic supply chains, are raw materials. They are also indispensable to the decarbonisation of our continent. But Europe currently depends on third countries for many of the raw materials it needs the most. We must increase our own production, diversify our external supply, and make stockpiles," said European Commission prosperity and industrial strategy VP Stéphane Séjourné.

ACCELERATING DEVELOPMENT
Several mining and materials companies with projects on the strategic projects list have hailed the designation as a transformative milestone for their development plans.

Emanuel Proença, CEO of Savannah Resources, the developer of the Barroso lithium project in Portugal, commented that the conclusion of the strategic project classification marked a significant step towards fostering a more resilient and secure supply of raw materials essential for Europe's green and digital transitions, as well as the aerospace and defence sectors.

Fellow lithium developer, European Metals' Keith Coughlan described as a "major milestone" the declaration of the Cinovec project, in Czech, as a strategic project.

ASX-listed Talga Group’s Vittangi graphite project in Sweden has secured strategic project status. CEO Martin Phillips said the designation strengthens the company's ability to secure financing and finalise offtake agreements.

"Graphite is critical to the lithium-ion battery industry, and increasing EU capacity to produce battery-grade graphite is essential for Europe's resilience and competitiveness," he stated.

Anglo American believes its Sakatti copper and polymetallic project in Finland has a key role to play in the EU's critical minerals supply chain.

"The EU currently produces about 4% of the critical minerals it needs and has a stated ambition to increase this to 10%. With Sakatti expected to deliver around 100 000 t/y of copper equivalent metal from the early 2030s, we expect to play a significant role in helping to build Europe's capacity and secure the responsible supply of the metals and minerals required for decarbonising our energy and transport systems, numerous advanced technologies and meeting the fast-growing demands of hundreds of millions of people in their everyday lives," says Anglo projects and development director Alison Atkinson.

Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman says the recognition of its Keliber lithium and GalliCam projects as strategic projects validates the company’s investment strategy in Europe. Keliber, in Finland, is on track to produce Europe’s first battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its own ore by 2026, while GalliCam, currently in pre-feasibility, aims to repurpose the Sandouville nickel refinery in France for EV battery materials.

Euro Manganese’s Chvaletice manganese project, in Czech, has also been designated a strategic project, with interim CEO Martina Blahova stating that the designation underscores the firm's commitment to establishing a sustainable battery materials supply chain in Europe.

The EU’s first-ever list of strategic projects marks a significant shift in European raw materials policy, ensuring that key resources are developed within the bloc to reduce dependency on external suppliers. By streamlining permitting and facilitating investment, the CRMA’s implementation is expected to accelerate the development of these critical projects.

The commission has also indicated that a new call for strategic project applications will be announced later in 2025, allowing additional projects to benefit from the CRMA framework. 

Meanwhile, discussions continue regarding the potential selection of strategic raw materials projects located outside the EU.