EU seeks rare‑earth self‑sufficiency after China tightens export limits

Rare earths and other critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, gallium, germanium, magnesium and tungsten are now described as the "new lifelines" of modern economies. They are essential for wind turbines, electric‑vehicle motors, smartphones, medical robots, defence systems and power grids.

The European Commission’s Critical Raw Materials Act sets 2030 targets of at least 10 % of the EU’s annual demand coming from domestic mining, 40 % from processing capacity within the EU and 25 % from recycling, while limiting any single third‑country supplier to no more than 65 % of the supply. Current dependence remains high – 63 % of global cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, 97 % of the EU’s magnesium supplies are sourced from China, and 100 % of rare‑earths for permanent magnets are refined in China.

In April 2025 China imposed export restrictions on rare earths, prompting EU officials and industry experts, such as Uli Bock of Seltene Eden Select AG, to call for a strategic shift from being a mere customer to an active producer, arguing that mineral security underpins European peace, prosperity and industrial policy.