PowerShift comments on the entry into force of the CRMA

PowerShift comments on the entry into force of the CRMA

Berlin, 22.05: DThe Berlin-based non-governmental organization PowerShift comments on tomorrow's entry into force of the Critical Raw Materials Acts (CRMA), the EU Critical Raw Materials Act.

Michael Reckordt, Raw Materials Officer at PowerShift:

“Germany and the EU need to use fewer metallic raw materials – for the climate, the environment, human rights and to become independent from countries such as China and Russia. With the CRMA, the EU is missing the opportunity to address its own globally unjust and wasteful consumption of raw materials. With the promotion of strategic projects, overexploitation of nature is even accelerated. In this way, the EU is setting sail in the wrong direction in times of climate crisis.”

Context:

In December 2023, the EU Parliament gave the green light to the CRMA – and thus to an investment plan in the raw materials sector. German environmental and development organizations feared the weakening of environmental standards in Europe and human rights violations in resource-rich countries through the law. During the negotiations on the CRMA, the EU Parliament was able to increase recycling targets, but the law does not contain binding targets to reduce the EU-wide high consumption of raw materials or to increase the circularity of critical raw materials. The law also fails to strengthen the rights of the people affected by mining.

In December 2024, for the first time, a list of strategic projects that will benefit in particular from the law will be published, including through shorter permitting periods and priority treatment.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:

• Michael Reckordt, Resource Policy Officer at PowerShift, michael.reckordt@power-shift.de, +49 (0)163 6336372
• Adrian Bornmann, Public Relations Officer at PowerShift, adrian.bornmann@power-shift.de, 017672773137

PowerShift publications on the topic:

• Reducing metal consumption – Practical proposals for shaping the raw material transition: https://power-shift.de/vorschlaege-zur-gestaltung-der-rohstoffwende/
• Metals for the energy transition: https://power-shift.de/metalle-fuer-die-energiewende-2/