Brussels, 5 October 2020
Dear Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič,
The European associations Cerame-Unie, Eurogypsum, Euromines, Euroroc, EUSALT, EXCA European Expanded Clay Association, IMA-Europe, UEPG welcome the Commission Communication “Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability”. This document confirms the principles of the Raw Materials Initiative, launched in 2008 with the main objective of assure a sustainable and safe supply of mineral raw materials to the European industry and society, through 3 balanced pillars. We also wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) which aims to make Europe economically more resilient by diversifying its supply chains, creating jobs, attracting investments to the raw materials value chain, fostering innovation, training young talents and contributing to the best enabling framework for raw materials and the Circular Economy worldwide.
We must realize that the global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2030, including 3 billion new middle-class consumers. All of these have the right to secure their livelihoods and, if possible, increase their standards of living, as always in human civilization. This will increase demand for products and their related raw materials. In order to meet this challenge and to accomplish it with sustainably sourced raw materials, a shift towards more resource efficient production, increased recovery and reprocessing along the value chains and the end of life of products will be also important. Mineral raw materials will be decisive for a transition to a Low-Carbon society.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 health crisis has underlined the crucial role of the chemical and pharma sectors which rely heavily on raw materials.
It is also worth mentioning that the economic importance of the raw materials sector goes far beyond the sector’s own economic activities. Whilst engaging about 350.000 jobs within the EU, there are more than 24.6 million jobs in downstream manufacturing industries depend on the secure supply of raw materials. Raw materials depending industries in the EU provided 206 billion EUR of added value.
Social responsibility has been and is part of any sustainable operation program of all our member companies. Today, companies have an active role and heavily invest in improvements of the environment and the quality of life, preserving traditions as well as rendering assistance in cases of natural disasters. In some regions of the EU, they are the only source of employment and wealth. The professionals who manage these projects are the company’s ambassadors in these local communities.
Legally, before any mine or quarry is opened in the EU, the operator must have a plan for restoration of the land impacted by its operations. Many such plans include offsetting or even more-than-compensating any residual losses of biodiversity. Rehabilitation strategies are centred on transforming the area back to its original state or into completely new opportunities. The innovative uses of old mines and quarries across Europe occur in amazing variety and with a vast range of purposes. Many sites deliver multiple functions in their new designs, delivering on new business models for land circularity and multi-functionality (e.g. Eden Project in Cornwall, UK; artificial lakes with floating solar panels that generate green energy (multiple projects across EU)).
Primary production of mineral raw materials is a temporary use of land and only uses 0.5% of the EU land area. Yet the sectors’ benefits are far reaching for society. Apart from legacies of history, every European country has stories of post-closure biodiversity regeneration that include eco-tourism, recreational facilities, and a variety of small business enterprises.
Safe and healthy working conditions are a top priority of the European raw material supply industries. Companies also frequently extend workforce health and wellbeing programmes to local communities and contractors, ensuring positive effects on people in the surrounding areas. Mineral raw materials have always contributed decisively to human evolution and wellbeing and will continue to do so in the future.
The European mineral raw materials industry sector is among the most sophisticated of partners in addressing a range of sustainable development challenges. Mining companies are working to share their experiences more broadly and encourage further engagement in partnerships to achieve collaborative progress on the SDGs.
The European mineral raw materials industry contributes to ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY by:
The European mineral raw materials industry contributes to SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY by:
The European mineral raw materials industry contributes to ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY by:
These are the reasons and real arguments that lead us to welcome the Commission’s recent Communication and, as always, put ourselves at its disposal to support the development of the respective Action Plan within the scope of our competences.
Your sincerely,
Renaud Batier, Cerame-Unie
Tristan Suffys, Eurogypsum
Dr. Corina Hebestriet, Euromines
Gerd Merke, Euroroc
Adriana Nosewicz, EUSALT
Mara Caboara, EXCA European Expanded Clay Association
Dr. Roger Groome, IMA Europe
Dirk Fincke, UEPG