Background
The “European Union (EU) Critical Raw Materials Action Plan” aims to develop global strategic partnerships to diversify the supply of raw materials. Its aim in Latin America (LA) is to improve knowledge and strengthen the value chains of critical and strategic raw materials.
The legislative proposal on raw materials announced by “REPowerEU” and the Joint Communication on “The EU’s external energy commitment in a changing world” enhances the EU’s capacity to identify strategic and critical raw materials worldwide and monitor their supply and upgrade their storage if necessary.
The EU has held Diplomatic Dialogues on raw materials in Latin America since 2014 with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. These dialogues aim to promote the integration of the value chains of critical and strategic raw materials for both regions, identify new business models, and encourage the development of a responsible and sustainable mining sector committed to the highest social and environmental standards.
EU - Latin America and the Caribbean policy dialogue on the identification of strategic and critical Raw Material resources, 23rd May 2023, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This European Union (EU) initiative establishes a formal dialogue between representatives of EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), the organisation representing 37 Geological Surveys in Europe, and the Asociación de Servicios de Geología y Minería Iberoamericanos (ASGMI), the organisation representing the Geological Surveys of Spain, Portugal and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
The participating Geological Surveys will share the results of the policy dialogues during a thematic session at the Convention on Raw Materials, organised in the framework of the International Mining Exhibition "Arminera" (22-24 May 2023, Buenos Aires, Argentina).
EU-Latin America and the Caribbean policy dialogue on the identification of strategic and critical Raw Materials resources, 2nd November 2022, Santiago, Chile
The first "European Union (EU) - Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) policy dialogue on the identification of strategic and critical raw material resources" took place on the 2nd November 2022 in Santiago de Chile with the objective of analysing the strategic and critical raw materials needed for the transition to clean energy and the digital transition in LAC. During the meeting, the role of Geological Surveys in the value chain of raw materials and the relevance of geo-scientific information for raw material policies were highlighted. Click here to read the press release.
Find out how the EU - Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Policy Dialogue: Identification of strategic and critical raw material resources organised in Santiago de Chile in November 2022 contributes to the clean energy transition and the digital transition in LAC through the video summary.
Eduardo Zappettini, Vice President of ASGMI and President of the Argentine Geological Survey (SEGEMAR) interview here and Ralph Watzel, President of EGS (2020-2022) and currently member of the EGS Executive Committee interview here share their experience on the role of geological surveys in the supply chain value in this podcast.