EU Selects 46 New Strategic Critical Raw Materials Projects

The European Commission has announced the selection of 46 new strategic projects to strengthen the EU's supply chains and diversify its sources of critical raw materials. The selection pursues three objectives: improving competitiveness, building greater resilience and reducing dependence on a single supplier.

The projects were chosen from 102 applications submitted in the second call, which closed on 15 January 2026. The Commission and external experts assessed 92 of them against the CRMA criteria: security of supply, technical feasibility, environmental, social and governance standards, and cross-border benefits. The Critical Raw Materials Board, made up of representatives of the Member States, was then consulted, with the European Parliament as an observer.

Which countries are the projects in?

The 46 projects are located in 16 Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden.

What types of projects have been selected?

Types of strategic projects selected by the European Commission by stage of the value chain

The eight integrated projects break down into three that combine extraction and processing and five that combine processing and recycling.

Which raw materials and sectors are being strengthened?

The projects cover 15 of the 17 strategic raw materials under the Regulation and strengthen three value chains:

What is the CRMA?

The CRMA (Critical Raw Materials Act) is the European Union regulation that aims to strengthen Europe's capacity across the entire value chain of critical raw materials (extraction, processing and recycling) and to diversify their sources of supply in order to reduce dependence on a single supplier. It entered into force on 23 May 2024 and sets the goal that, by 2030, the EU's capacity should reach at least 10% of its annual consumption for extraction, 40% for processing and 25% for recycling of strategic raw materials.

How are the projects from the first list progressing?

Of the projects selected in 2025, 25 have completed their environmental impact assessment and 17 have obtained a construction permit. The one-stop shops set up in the Member States are helping to speed up permitting.

Since the RESourceEU Communication of December 2025, Team Europe has mobilised more than €2 billion through the Innovation Fund, State aid and the European Investment Bank. 

When is the next call?

The Commission will announce a new call for strategic projects in late 2026. The first call closed on 22 August 2024 and the second on 15 January 2026. The CRMA entered into force on 23 May 2024.