Position paper on the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act

On March 16, 2023, the European Commission presented a proposal for a European law on critical raw materials (Critical Raw Materials Act - CRMA). The regulation aims to secure the supply of critical raw materials for industry in the areas of energy transition, digitalization, defence and space within the EU. The European Commission currently lists 34 "critical" raw materials that are characterized by high economic importance and a high supply risk, including raw materials such as lithium, cobalt and copper.
The extraction and processing of these raw materials is often associated with serious impacts on people and nature. The Business and Human Rights Resource Center has recorded 510 cases of human rights violations in the mining sector alone in the last 12 years. In addition, mining means a massive impact on nature, endangering ecosystems and the livelihoods of surrounding communities. However, the drafts of the CRMA to date focus one-sidedly on the security of supply of critical raw materials for European industry. Human rights and environmental concerns are neglected. Existing regulations are even in danger of being undermined.

We are therefore calling on the negotiators in the EU Commission, Parliament and Council of Ministers to tighten up the law in order to integrate targets and measures for the reduction of primary raw material demand for critical raw materials into the law, to strengthen the circular economy and to better protect human rights and the environment in connection with mining.