14 July 2026 17:25 UTC · European Commission · EU Commission Press Release · Source · Email X Link

European Commission says EU pursues circular critical minerals

Key points

Supports UN Panel recommendations
Prioritises circular economy to secure supply chains

TL;DR

European Commission co‑chaired the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and supports its recommendations.
Through the Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU is reinforcing domestic capacities and building strategic partnerships to diversify supply.
EU says circular economy is a strategic necessity, emphasising product design, remanufacturing, high‑quality recycling, material recovery and strengthened traceability.

Original text

European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner's Roswall speech at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, New York New York, 14 July 2026 Thank you, Madam Deputy Secretary-General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Let me begin by thanking the United Nations for convening this important meeting and the Secretary- General for his inspiring remarks. The EU strongly supports the work of the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. The European Commission co-chaired the Panel, and we are pleased to see its recommendations moving towards implementation. We especially welcome the Panel recommendations on material efficiency and circular economy, an area where the EU has long advocated for ambitious action. Critical energy transition minerals are indispensable for a prosperous and sustainable. There is simply no economic security, green transition, or digital future without them. Everything we discuss today stems from this truth. The crucial question, then, is how we secure resilient, environmentally sustainable, fair and affordable supply chains. Part of the answer is to diversify supply and strengthen responsible production. Through the Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU is reinforcing domestic capacities while building strategic partnerships with partners around the world. But increasing extraction alone is not enough. We cannot dig our way out of this problem. This is recognised by the UN recommendations. And the EU is committed to turn these recommendations into action. We recognise that the circular economy is not simply an environmental ambition – it is a strategic necessity. It means more efficient use of critical materials and less vulnerability to supply disruptions, price volatility and geopolitical dependencies. More value. Less waste. More reuse of materials and – as a result – less extraction or importation of materials. Circularity is a journey that strengthens both resource security and economic resilience. It starts with designing products that are more durable, repairable and easier to reuse. It continues with remanufacturing, high-quality recycling and recovering valuable materials from batteries, electronic waste and even mining waste. And it ends by squeezing every drop of value from the resources we already have. In Europe, our efforts are designed to support this transition – whether we talk about laws on critical raw materials, batteries, or sustainable products design -- they all contribute to making critical mineral value chains more resilient, competitive and sustainable. We have also made progress on traceability and transparency in our rules, and are committed to strengthening this work beyond our own borders. Let me therefore finish with a word on international cooperation. This is the very foundation of progress – and the reason we are gathered here today. The EU will continue to build partnerships that diversify supply, create local value, support innovation and uphold high environmental and social standards. On this, we are guided by a simple but powerful principle: Resilient critical mineral value chains are not only about securing supply. They are about ensuring that the clean energy and digital transitions are built on fairness, sustainability and circularity. I look forward to working with all of you to deliver this future. And to turn the Panel's recommendations into concrete action delivering concrete results. Thank you. SPEECH/26/1620

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