Euromines welcomes a well-functioning, integrated electricity market

Euromines supports a stable and predictable energy and climate change policy that ensures sustainable growth and global competiveness for the EU industry as a whole as well as for the energy-intensive industries in particular. We share the belief that the main objective of energy policies should be securing energy at affordable prices as well as ensuring industrial competiveness while achieving appropriate climate reduction targets.

Euromines welcomes the European Union commitment to ensure a well-functioning, integrated electricity market allowing non-discriminatory market access for resource providers and electricity customers, empowering consumers, enabling demand response and energy efficiency, facilitating aggregation of distributed demand and supply, and contributing to the decarbonisation of the economy.  Nevertheless, the overall design of the electricity market should not undermine the essential economic, social and environment –related input needed by the society’s sustainable development. 

In this issue of Euromines Newsletter you will find the following articles:

• EU-Canada Mineral Investment Facility Project
• Agnico Eagle Finland – Proud of our Past, Focused on our Future
• Exporting Canadian Mining Expertise to Grow a Gold Mining Industry in Greece
• The EU industrial policy, raw materials and the CETA agreement
• The EU’s feasibility study on a Minerals investment facility - First Workshop in Brussels

Euromines Annual Report 2016 “Why Not Invest in Europe!” is now available. This theme addresses the challenge the extractive industry faces of supplying minerals and metals to 500 million Europeans, as well as the steps the industry and in particular Euromines members are taking to help meet those needs. 

As Euromines President Mark Rachovides explains, “In short, our industry must belong to more people, be recognized as of value and as part of Europe’s future and its hope.” 

In this report, you will find information about key achievements that are taking us closer to this goal, such as important international partnerships, addressing the mineral and economic potential in Europe, maximizing benefits of technological growth and the continuous pursuit of improving policies and practices. 

Euromines Health and Safety Publication

A top priority for the European extractive industry is keeping workers as safe as possible. To do that, companies must make health and safety more than just a priority – it must be deeply embedded in the culture of an organisation. 

In this brochure, we address this difference and explain what companies can do to ensure the highest possible standards at every level of their organisations. This includes how policies are developed and communicated, the role of leadership and how new technologies are saving lives and reducing injuries. 

Euromines publication "Natura 2000: A Guide to the Guide" is now available in Spanish!

The purpose of the European Commission Guidance on Non-energy mineral extraction and Natura 2000 is to address issues for which the European Commission is responsible. However, the extractive industry has its own guidelines on how to prevent the loss of biodiversity in all areas of operation, some of which go beyond, but do not specifically address, particular requirements of the EU Nature Directives.

This “Guide to the Guide” constitutes part of a Biodiversity Toolkit promoted by Euromines, which is otherwise made up of previously existing documents. It is intended to assist companies in their interpretation of the European Commission Guidance and discussion with permitting authorities and should be read in conjunction with the European Commission Guidance.

Click here for more information about the English issue of "Natura 2000: A Guide to the Guide".

The presentation of Thomas Drnek (representing Euromines and RHI AG) at "MIN-GUIDE Policy Laboratory 2" in Leoben, Austria,21 - 22 March 2017.

MIN-GUIDE is a Horizon 2020 project that aims to establish a coherent and innovation friendly minerals policy framework in Europe by developing a Minerals Policy Guide and engaging diverse stakeholders in the mineral sector and related areas.

One of the most visible economic impacts of mining/quarrying operations on a community is the employment that it generates. 
Employment is generated through the creation of jobs within the mining/quarrying operation itself, for instance during the exploration, mining/quarrying and closure/rehabilitation phases. These jobs are directly related to the mining/quarrying operation. However, there are jobs created outside of the ‘gates’ of a mining/quarrying operation. These are a result of the building of roadways to reach the mine/quarry, the construction of new homes for mines/quarries and their families, and the businesses required to service the families for instance.
The objective is to calculate the total employment generated by the operation

Sustainable community development programs are those that contribute to the community’s longterm development needs and priorities and ensure a fairer distribution of the costs, benefits, risks and responsibilities associated with mining activities. 

In this issue of Euromines Newsletter you will find the following articles:

• EIT RawMaterials, a New European Initiative in Raw Materials
• The EU Copernicus Programme and the Raw Materials Sector
• Enhancing Implementation and Capacities: The New EU Mining Mentor Centre and Its Objectives
• METALert – An Emergency Response System for Heavy Metals in the Environment
• Integrating Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation into the Life-Cycle Management of Mining and Milling Sites
• LKAB´s Work with Compensation of Natural Resources for the Mertainen Site
• Green Bridge Competition – Examples of the Best Practices in the Rehabilitation of the Mining Sites in the Czech Republic

The objective of CETA is to increase bilateral trade and investment flows and contribute to growth in times of economic uncertainty. This is in line with the Europe 2020 strategy to boost growth through external competitiveness and the participation in open and fair markets worldwide. To this end, the EU and Canada achieved the ambitious agreement they wanted, opening up new trade and investment opportunities for economic actors on both sides of the Atlantic. Both sides have also underlined the importance that economic activity takes place within a framework of clear and transparent regulation by public authorities, and that they consider the right to regulate in the public interest within their territories as a basic underlying principle of the Agreement. The EU and Canada are resolved to preserve their ability to achieve legitimate policy objectives, such as public health, safety, environment, public morals and the promotion and protection of cultural diversity.