Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné, responding to a parliamentary question from Morten Løkkegaard (Renew), outlined the Commission's corrective actions to address implementation gaps in the EU's critical raw materials policy, focusing on accelerating the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and deepening the partnership with Greenland. The answer signals a push to reduce dependency on single-country suppliers by 30–50% by 2029 for key raw materials, backed by €3 billion in EU funding.
Séjourné's reply comes after the European Court of Auditors (ECA) warned in a recent report that the EU remains overly dependent on a small number of non-EU countries for critical raw materials, despite the CRMA's adoption. The ECA questioned whether current measures are adequate and highlighted Greenland as a strategically important partner, noting that 25 of the 34 critical raw materials can be found there.
Concrete actions and targets
The Commission is addressing the ECA's findings through the RESourceEU Action Plan, which was not covered by the audit. This plan aims to close financing gaps, ease permitting constraints, and strengthen project delivery via the Critical Raw Materials Centre. Séjourné stated that efforts focus on reducing EU dependency on a single country of origin by 30–50% by 2029 for battery, rare earth, and defence-related raw materials, with €3 billion mobilised to support these value chains.
Greenland partnership and investment
On Greenland, the Commission is implementing actions under the EU–Greenland Strategic Partnership, including technical assistance and investor matchmaking to advance sustainable mining projects. Séjourné confirmed that the Commission has committed to unlocking financial support for Greenland Resources' Malmbjerg molybdenum project to enhance defence supply security, and has selected GreenRoc's graphite extraction project as a Strategic Project under the CRMA. He also noted that the Commission is working on an investment package to support Greenland's economy and infrastructure, including sustainable raw materials, as announced by President von der Leyen in January 2026.
Policy direction and follow-up
accelerating CRMA implementation through targeted financial instruments and regulatory streamlining, with a strong emphasis on Greenland as a key partner. While the response includes concrete project support and numerical targets, it remains largely declarative on broader diversification timelines. The Commission is expected to continue rolling out the RESourceEU Action Plan and finalise the Greenland investment package in the coming months.