INTRAW ‐ Fostering international cooperation on raw materials

In the last decade, a structural change has taken place in the world’s mineral markets and the global demand for raw materials stands at the bottom of a new growth curve. In this perspective, safeguarding the domestic minerals supply in a sustainable and responsible way will be challenging not only to Europe but also to other technologically advanced countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa and the United States. As part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Programme for Research & Innovation (R&I), the new EU funded 36‐month project INTRAW has been launched in February 2015 to foster international cooperation on raw materials.

INTRAW will play a key role in the alignment of the R&I activities among the EU countries, boosting synergies with international research and innovation programmes, and reinforcing the European role and scientific capabilities for the sustainable access and supply of non‐agricultural and non‐energy raw materials for EU industry in line with Europe 2020, the Raw Materials Initiative and the Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials.

The overall aim of the INTRAW project is to map best practices and develop new cooperation opportunities related to raw materials between the EU and technologically advanced countries, in response to similar global challenges, by addressing research and innovation; raw materials policies and strategies; joint educational and skills programmes; licensing and permitting procedures, royalties and tax policies; data reporting systems; exploration, extraction, processing and recycling practices; and management and substitution of critical raw materials.

The outcome of the mapping and knowledge transfer activities that will be conducted in the first two years of the project will be used as a baseline to set up and launch the European Union’s International Observatory for Raw Materials as a definitive raw materials knowledge management infrastructure. The Observatory will be a permanent international body that will remain operational after the end of the project aiming at the establishment and maintenance of strong long‐term relationships with the world’s key players in raw materials technology and scientific developments.

Under the coordination of the European Federation of Geologists (EFG), the INTRAW project brings together an international consortium of 15 partners with extensive experience in research, innovation, education, industry, trade and international networking across the entire raw materials value chain. The project partners will be actively supported by three Panels of Experts on “Research & Innovation”,  “Education & Outreach and “Industry & Trade”. Through EFG’s third parties that represent the members of professional geosciences organisations in 18 European countries, the USA, Australia, South Africa and Canada, a broad network of more than 450.000 geoscientists will further leverage the project.

Contact:
Coordinator ‐ European Federation of Geologists (EFG)
Vítor Correia, President
efg.president@eurogeologists.eu
Isabel Fernández Fuentes, Executive Director
isabel.fernandez@eurogeologists.eu