Agreement between Italy, France and Germany on raw materials
(Teleborsa) – Italia, France e Germania agree on close cooperation for the extraction and processing of critical raw materials. This is what we read in a joint note following the meeting in Berlin of the German Minister of Economy and Climate Action, Robert Habeckby the French Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, Bruno Le Maire, and the Italian Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso.
Trilateral cooperation
“We want to work together to make the supply of material prime for ours industry more sustainable and diverse, to implement economic security measures more effectively,” said Habeck. To this end, we should cooperate more closely in the fields of raw material extraction and processing and jointly advance a circular economy model. We also want to provide even better support to companies looking to secure a sustainable supply of raw materials. To this end, we have created a high-level working group on critical raw materials. The working group will proceed to an exchange of opinions on aspects ofsustainable procurement of raw materials and, in particular, on the implementation of strategic projects in the extraction, processing and recycling of these raw materials”.
Urso: “A new phase begins”
“With the meeting in Berlin – added Urso – a new phase begins in the definition of the European industrial policy which will allow us to face the challenges of the twofold transition ecological e digital, in order to ensure the strategic autonomy of the EU. Italy, Germany and France represent a significant part of the Union economy and have shared value chains in many sectors. We represent one of the great global economic engines. Together, with our values, we can determine the future of the common European home”.
“We cannot guarantee the double ecological and digital transformation if we cannot help our companies access the raw materials they badly need. While the CRM Act is a very important first step, our meeting today will give us the opportunity to discuss between Governments, as well as with representatives of the industrial sector on how to move forward – continued Le Maire -. it is very important to define concrete actions on strategic projects and joint support, discussing issues such as the realization of shared stocks and joint purchasing. I am very confident that our cooperation will pave the way for a green and resilient Europe”.
Reflections of the war in Ukraine
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic have shown how much Germany, France, Italy and the EU depend on individual countries, especially China, to the extraction and processing of raw materials”. “The industrial sectors of the three countries – continues the note – need an economic, safe and sustainable supply of raw materials, and this is especially true for the technologies that are facilitating green and digital transformations.
L’goal of the meeting is therefore to jointly identify measures on how the three countries can improve their cooperation to support a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials (especially critical raw materials) for European industry. The European Critical Raw Materials Legislation (CRMA) aims to provide a framework to reduce the dependence strategic of the European Union in this area. The trilateral exchange will also address what strategic measures and projects in the field of extraction, processing and recycling of critical raw materials will be needed to disrupt addictions problematic“.
“This meeting – concludes the note – kicks off a new series of trilateral meetings between Germany, France and Italy, aimed at strengthening cooperation on strategic issues at European level”