Activities of Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU related to 2023/0079(COD)
Plenary speeches (2)
Framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials (debate)
Framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials (debate)
Opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020
Amendments (14)
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Access to raw materials is essential for the Union economy and the functioning of the internal market. There is a set of non-energy, non-agricultural raw materials that, due to their high economic importance and their exposure to high supply risk, often caused by a high concentration of supply from a few third countries, are considered critical. Given the key role of many such critical raw materials in realising the green and digital transitions, and in light of their use for defence and space applications, demand will increase exponentially in the coming decades. At the same time, the risk of supply disruptions is increasing against the background of rising geopolitical tensions and resource competition, with serious vulnerabilities linked to the possible weaponisation of supply dependencies and bottlenecks. Furthermore, if not managed properly, increased demand for critical raw materials could lead to negative environmental and social impacts. Considering these trends, it is necessary to take measures to ensure access to a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials to safeguard the Union's economic resilience and open strategic autonomy.
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Firstly, in order to effectively ensure the Union's access to a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, that framework should include measures to decrease the Union's growing supply risks by strengthening Union capacities along all stages of the strategic raw materials value chain, including extraction, processing and recycling, towards benchmarks defined for each strategic raw material. Secondly, as the Union will continue to rely on imports, the framework should include measures to increase the diversification of external supplies of strategic raw materials, including trough the ratification of new FTAs with third countries. Thirdly, is necessary to provide measures to reinforce the Union’s ability to monitor and mitigate existing and future supply risks. Fourthly, the framework should contain measures to increase the circularity and sustainability of the critical raw materials consumed in the Union.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) In order to ensure that the measures set out in the Regulation focus on the most relevant materials, a list of strategic raw materials and a list of critical raw materials should be established. Those lists should also serve to guide and coordinate Member States’ efforts to contribute to the realisation of the aims of this Regulation. The list of strategic raw materials should contain raw materials that are of high strategic importance, taking into account their use in strategic technologies underpinning the green and digital transitions or for defence or space applications, that are characterised by a potentially significant gap between global supply and projected demand, and for which an increase in production is relatively difficult, for instance due to long lead-times for new projects increasing supply capacity. To take account of possible technological and economic changes, the list of strategic materials should be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, updated. Moreover, the list will be based on a clear and transparent methodology, allowing for increased predictability and stability for European economic operators. In order to ensure that efforts to increase the Union capacities along the value chain, reinforce the Union’s capacity to monitor and mitigate supply risks and increase diversification of supply are focused on the materials for which they are most needed, the relevant measures should only apply to the list of strategic raw materials.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) Decarbonisation efforts in European industrial processes also require secondary raw materials. These are key for the development of technologies which will enable the green and digital transitions. A sub-list of strategic secondary raw materials should be established within the strategic raw materials in order to prioritise the supply of specific materials, in line with the following: their role in decarbonisation endeavours; forecasted growth in global demand; potential bottlenecks and dependencies; scarcity of supply in the EU or related technological difficulties; potential for recovery of critical raw material. The assessment should also take into account strategic forecast analyses to address future bottlenecks or supply disruption.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) To strengthen Union capacities along the strategic raw materials value chain, benchmarks should be set to guide efforts and track progress. The aim should be to increase capacities for each strategic raw material at each stage of the value chain, while aiming to achieve overall capacity benchmarks for extraction, processing and recycling of strategic raw materials. Firstly, the Union should increase the use of its own geological resources of strategic raw materials and build up capacity, including through innovative technologies and relevant skills, to allow it to extract the materials needed to produce at least 10 % of the Union's consumption of strategic raw materials. Keeping in mind that extraction capacity is highly dependent on the availability of Union geological resources, the achievement of this benchmark is dependent on such availability. Secondly, in order to build a full value chain and prevent any bottlenecks at intermediate stages, the Union should in addition increase its processing capacity along the value chain and be able to produce at least 40 % of its annual consumption of strategic raw materials. Thirdly, it is expected that in the coming decades a growing share of the Union's consumption of strategic raw materials can be covered by secondary raw materials, which would improve both the security and the sustainability of the Union’s raw materials supply. Therefore, Union recycling capacity should be able to produce at least 15 % of the Union’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials. These benchmarks refer to the 2030 time horizon, in alignment with the Union's climate and energy targets set under Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council29 and the digital targets under the Digital Decade30 , which they underpin. Furthermore, quality jobs, including skills development and job-to-job transitions, will address risks in the sectoral labour market and help ensure the EU’s competitiveness. These benchmarks must remain flexible, given the differing chemical properties, geological availability and overall specificities of the materials in question. _________________ 29 Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1). 30 Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 (OJL 323, 19.12.2022, p. 4–26 )
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) Chemical regulation is a key component for ensuring a stable investment environment for the processing of critical and strategic raw materials in the Union; Therefore, the Union's chemical regulation must be better aligned with its raw materials supply agenda and the Commission should promote the timely use of Risk Management Option Analysis for relevant materials listed in Annex I and Annex II of this regulation;
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) In exceptional cases, it is also necessary to put in place appropriate measures to support Strategic Projects aimed at the extraction, processing or recycling of critical raw materials in the Union that should, together with Member State efforts, contribute to increasing capacities; Such projects should be limited to those that make a significant contribution to the security of the Union's supply of critical raw materials;
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) Imports of raw materials present in Annexes 1 and 2 of this regulation play a key role in efforts to diversify supply and increase the resilience of EU supply chains. Importantly, these imports must observe the principle of fair competition as the Union market operates on a level playing field. The Commission shall act swiftly and assertively when evidence suggests unfair trade practices, effectively implementing the Union's trade defence toolbox.
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. When assessing the effectiveness of relevant measures to attain the benchmarks, including as concerns the review stipulated by Article 46, the Commission shall apply a tailored approach to the different raw materials, in line with their specificities, availability, use and recycling possibilities.
Amendment 145 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 36 to amend Annex I, Section 1 in order to update the list of strategic raw materials, in line with a clear and transparent methodology.
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) the project would make a significant contribution to the security of the Union's supply of critical raw materials;
Amendment 438 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Section 1 – paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
Annex I – Section 1 – paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
(pa) Ferrous scrap
Amendment 442 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 2 a (new)
Annex III – point 2 a (new)
2a. whether the project contributes to significantly strengthening Union capacities as a share of the Union's annual consumption of any critical raw material;
Amendment 443 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 2 b (new)
Annex III – point 2 b (new)
2b. a significant strengthening of Union capacities as a share of the Union's annual consumption of any critical raw material would mean a project that would deliver at least 20% of the Union's existing annual consumption of the critical raw material in question;