Governance & Policy
Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA)
Definition
The Critical Raw Materials Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, establishes a framework to secure EU supplies of the raw materials essential for the green and digital transitions. It sets 2030 benchmarks for domestic extraction, processing and recycling capacity and for limiting dependence on single third countries, designates strategic projects, and obliges large companies to assess supply-chain risks for strategic materials.
References
Legal text, benchmarks and strategic projects
Policy context
Overview
What it means
Material security for batteries, magnets and renewables becomes EU industrial policy, with permitting fast-tracks and recycling obligations.
How it is used
Mining and recycling projects seek strategic-project status; manufacturers map exposure to concentrated supply; recyclers reference the permanent-magnet recovery rules.
Why it matters
The energy transition is mineral-intensive, and the CRMA is the EU's main lever for resilient, lower-impact supply of those minerals.