The Union looks at ways of securing its supply of rare earth elements, used to manufacture high-tech products. Some 95% of the REE are produced in China.

Securing the EU's raw materials supply

How to secure  the EU’s supply of rare minerals?

Rare earths  with electromagnetic properties

are wanted for advanced technologies  like hybrid cars, renewable energies,

That’s the Member States' new problem  which the EU is trying to solve.

95% of these coveted minerals come  from China which is limiting their exports.

I’d propose moving in the direction of  offering the Chinese a fair deal:

allowing us to access rare earth supplies

while we allow them to use some  of the environmental technologies

An expert group has identified a group of  14 particularly strategic minerals.

In order to avoid shortages the idea is  to encourage research into substitutes.

We are becoming  more and more dependent,

so if we could improve our  resource efficiency and recycle more,

be more efficient in our use of  raw materials, that would be very good.

the EU is looking into creating  privileged partnerships in Africa,

'Exploitation of rare earths  could re-start in Europe from 2015',

underlined Industry Commissioner  Antonio Tajani.