On 9 April 2025, in Brussels, Euromines hosted its high-level event, Geopolitics at play: The war below for Europe’s defense. The event brought together key policymakers and industry experts to address Europe’s most pressing challenges in securing its defense and industrial future. Against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions and fragile supply chains, the discussions focused on critical issues such as defense strategy, raw material dependencies, and energy security.
Watch the event.
Six key takeaways:
1. Securing Critical Raw Materials for Defense
The EU’s reliance on imports for vital raw materials such as rare earth elements, lithium, and titanium poses a significant challenge to Europe’s defense capabilities. Efforts like the Critical Raw Materials Act aim to secure these resources within the EU to ensure strategic autonomy.
2. Europe’s Defense Strategy: Readiness 2030
The EU is focused on addressing defense capability gaps with plans like “Readiness 2030” and “Rearm Europe”, which include supporting Ukraine and ensuring a sustainable supply of essential materials for defense technologies.
3. Strategic Stockpiling and Policy Gaps
The importance of strategic stockpiles for raw materials, especially in times of crisis, was highlighted. However, funding and policy frameworks need to be clarified to manage these stockpiles effectively.
4. Energy Security and Geopolitical Risks
Europe faces growing energy security risks, especially with Russia’s role in the ongoing crisis. The EU needs to diversify its energy and raw material supply chains and strengthen international partnerships to reduce dependencies on China and other global players.
5. The Need for International Partnerships
Collaborative agreements with countries like South Africa and initiatives such as the Mineral Security Partnership were seen as essential for enhancing Europe’s supply chain resilience and attracting private investment.
6. Transatlantic Cooperation for Security
The strength of the transatlantic bond between Europe and North America is crucial to confronting global security challenges. A unified approach will be vital for strengthening defense capabilities and ensuring long-term prosperity.
