Europe must eliminate risks in raw materials' supply chains: EU chief

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At an event organized on Thursday by L'Echo and De Tjid called "The Future of Europe", the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed the necessity for the bloc to become self-sufficient in terms of raw materials and called on member-states to eliminate risks in their supply chains to reach this target.

"We need to invest, to improve the refining, the processing, and the recycling of raw materials inside the European Union, but let's not fool ourselves, we also need to face the very simple truth that Europe cannot become totally self-reliant for many raw materials. So we must work with our trade partners to de-risk our supply chains," she said.

The head of the EU Commission also presented the Green Deal's "Industrial Plan" to the Belgian business community which she mentioned at an earlier conference in Davos this month.

"As powerhouse of innovation and hub for renewables production, Belgium has all it takes to help shape the clean tech revolution," she said.

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The Commission also wants to develop a regulatory environment to accelerate the transition of key industrial sectors to carbon neutrality, to move quickly "from niche to large-scale".

This is the subject of a legislative proposal that is currently being drafted, the Net-Zero Industry Act.

"It will identify clear targets for European Clean Tech for 2030, because only what gets measured gets done," she said.

The new framework should flourish in an environment where industries have stable access to the inputs they need to make the transition.

Von der Leyen called for the formation of a "critical raw materials club" bringing together partners on the same approach, from the US to Ukraine.

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