Ministers from France, Italy and Germany have agreed on closer cooperation in the extraction, processing and recycling of critical raw materials needed for the energy transition. In a joint statement following the meeting in Berlin, the governments announced that they will coordinate proposals submitted in international forums, such as G7 working groups, and reach a consensus on common positions for future EU negotiations regarding the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). The ministers of the three largest EU countries said they would set common targets for the extraction and processing of strategic raw materials, as well as “ambitious environmental criteria” to be applied in the process. The trio has established a working group to further the initiatives, noting that the meeting in Berlin marks the beginning of a new series of trilateral events aimed at strengthening their cooperation on strategic issues at the European level.

Italian Minister of Enterprises Adolfo Urso (Adolfo Urso) said that this meeting marks “the beginning of a new phase and the creation of European industrial policy to address all the challenges associated with the twin green and digital transition”. French Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire (Bruno Le Maire) said it is “critically important to define concrete action regarding strategic projects and common support”. This includes discussing issues such as joint stockpiling and collective procurement, said Le Maire.

Furthermore, the agency Bloomberg reported that, according to Economy Minister Robert Habeck, Germany is considering the creation of a national fund of 0.5 to 1 billion euros to support the extraction of raw materials that are critical for accelerating the country's green transition.

Critically important minerals and metals, such as lithium, nickel or rare earth minerals, are required in many sectors that drive the transition to climate neutrality, such as renewable energy systems or electromobility. Upon reaching the end of their service life, they can pose further threats to the environment – and they are often too valuable to be disposed of. Therefore, raw material extraction and recycling must be improved for the energy transition to be truly sustainable.
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/france-italy-germany-launch-joint-push-securing-critical-raw-materials