Euromines as a partner in round table discussions on EIP

The round tables are organized by the European Economic and Social Committee’s (EESC) Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) in partnership with Euromines, Euracoal, IndustriAll Europe, national ministries and other national relevant organisations. In 2015 the round table discussions are planned in the following countries: Spain, the Slovak Republic, Romania and Finland.

Raw Materials Initiative and the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials are key policies that may contribute decisively to maintaining the competitiveness and sustainability of European industry, and consequently, the maintenance or creation of new jobs, especially in regions that were affected by restructuring due to globalization.

These EU political initiatives embrace the whole value chain on which is based the European industry and now, at the beginning of the mandate of the Juncker Commission, provide an excellent opportunity for the EESC and its partners to promote the work that has been done up to now and to demonstrate that the stakeholder know-how deserves to be taken into consideration by the European institutions.

The aim of the round-tables is to meet the needs of the European Commission regarding the consultation and participation of civil society and social partners on the implementation of the above-mentioned initiatives.

Among the topics to be addressed in the roundtable discussions:

• Production, trade and consumption of energy and non-energy raw materials;
• Secondary raw materials and aspects related to the concept of “circular economy”;
• Political, legal, administrative and societal challenges related with the secure access to raw materials;
• Health and Safety issues.

The first round table discussion was organised in Madrid on 3rd March 2015.