Critical raw materials are becoming the basis for the survival of economies
Today, everything is revolving around critical raw materials, but this is not a matter of yesterday, as it began in 2008 with the adoption of the Raw Initiative. Even then, the EU recognized the great dependence of the economy on the import of some raw materials, but then everything was upgraded, says geologist dr. Gorazd Žibert from the Geological Institute of Slovenia.
The first list of critical raw materials was thus made in 2011, then followed every three years, now we have a fifth list of critical and strategic raw materials. Europe has also increasingly recognized its problems due to the dependence of the import of critical raw materials, including the vulnerability of its economy, the political and also economic pressures that the supplier countries can perform. An act on critical raw materials is a logical continuation of this story.
“The problem is increasingly pressing, so it comes to the fore. But if we remember in 2014, when Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas and its supply was very disturbed, we have already reduced the production of some companies in Slovenia and restricted gas supply. So today’s situation is not something new, only current geopolitical events are added, the markets are closing, customs and export quotas are introduced. As a result, Europe is feeling more vulnerable and something needs to be taken to reduce this vulnerability, « says the interviewee.
