A new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) warns that the EU’s renewable energy goals are difficult to achieve unless the production, refining, and recycling of essential metals is accelerated. The 2030 target of reaching 42.5% of energy from renewables is considered at risk due to the EU’s high dependence on metals such as rare earths, which are crucial for the renewable energy industry and are largely imported from abroad.
Brussels has identified 26 critical minerals whose supply must be secured by 2030. Out of these 26, 10 are fully imported from outside the bloc. In addition, most of the 17 so-called rare earth metals are mined abroad. This reliance on imports threatens the EU’s sustainability and competitiveness, particularly as these metals are concentrated in a small number of countries. China controls a substantial share of several rare earths and other critical minerals, which are especially important for producing permanent magnets. Other countries also dominate key resources: Chile supplies a significant share of global lithium, which is essential for car batteries, while Turkey exports the majority of boron, a key component in solar panels.
The critical materials challenge has previously been partially addressed by the EU through measures such as the adoption of the Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and the Critical Raw Materials Act. Over the past five years, the bloc has also sought to secure access to these materials through 14 strategic partnerships. Despite these efforts, the ECA states that these measures have not yet produced tangible results.
The Court of Auditors calls for greater diversification to secure raw materials, improved resource management, and stronger strategic planning. As Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, the ECA member responsible for this report, states: “Without critical raw materials, there will be no energy transition, no competitiveness, and no strategic autonomy. Unfortunately, we are now dangerously dependent on a handful of countries outside the EU for the supply of these materials.” This audit comes at a volatile geopolitical moment, where overreliance on a single importer constitutes a serious strategic vulnerability, and the EU must act quickly to ensure the success of its objectives.
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