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EU industry chief says raw materials recycling is solution to China dependency
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 19, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 19, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
EU industry chief highlights recycling as a solution to reduce dependency on China's raw materials, targeting 25% demand fulfillment by 2030.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -EU industry chief Stephane Sejourne said on Wednesday that recycling is likely the solution to reducing the bloc's dependency on critical raw materials imports from China.
Under the Critical Raw Materials Act that entered into force last year, the bloc has set a target for recycling to meet 25% of EU demand for critical minerals by 2030. Less than 1% of rare earths in the EU are currently recycled.
Speaking at a conference in Brussels, Sejourne said the EU also needs to speed up its deal-making for critical raw materials instead of waiting for multi-year trade deals to be signed.
Sejourne said the bloc's gallium and rare earth permanent magnet production was set to rise sixfold by 2030 but the pace needed to accelerate across all the 17 strategic metals and minerals identified by the EU.
On the regulatory side, Sejourne said gaining permits needs to be simplified after "too many projects were abandoned" in the past.
The Commissioner said part of the responsibility rests on companies' shoulders as a U.S.-China deal to delay new restrictions on rare earth exports was unlikely to last.
"Companies also need to reevaluate their risk and stop buying 100% Chinese," Sejourne said.
"The United States and China have signed a stop-the-clock deal and Europe has benefited but I doubt it will last the 12 months".
Sejourne is due to present the EU's new economic security doctrine and resource package on Dec. 3.
(Reporting by Julia Payne and Alessandro Parodi;Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Elaine Hardcastle)
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. It helps reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, lowers energy usage, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
Critical raw materials are essential substances for the economy and are at risk of supply shortages. They are vital for various industries, including technology, energy, and manufacturing.
The Critical Raw Materials Act is a legislative framework established by the EU to ensure a sustainable supply of critical raw materials. It aims to promote recycling and reduce dependency on imports.
Gallium is a chemical element used in electronics, particularly in semiconductors and LEDs. It is considered a critical raw material due to its importance in high-tech applications.
Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in various high-tech applications, including smartphones, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies. They are critical for modern technology.
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