Resource accessibility for humans in the future is a complex concept and therefore needs to be adequately understood and reflected. The general equations for characterisation Life Cycle Impact Assessment models developed by the SUPRIM project represent a new state-of-art and are the most reliable of their kind thanks to the unique mix of expertise existing within the project consortium.

The proposed SUPRIM method responds to the European Commission’s call to develop a life-cycle based impact assessment method for resource use based on dissipation concepts for use in its Product Environment Footprint and Organisation Environment Footprint methodologies.

A. Energy Prices and Costs in Europe (European Commission)

Published every two years, this most recent report underlines the EU's exposure to volatile and growing fossil fuel prices and notes that wholesale prices have started to rise again. Future electricity production costs are expected to increase for fossil fuel-generated electricity (due to import prices and the carbon price) and fall for renewables (linked to the decreasing costs of investment as technologies evolve), with the report suggesting that that electricity market prices could reduce the need for subsidising renewable energy technologies by 2030. 

The EU remains heavily dependent on imports of oil and gas, and the increase in fossil fuel prices (especially crude oil) made the cost of EU energy imports in 2017 rise by 26% to EUR 266 billion. The increase in oil prices could have had a negative impact on EU growth (-0.4% GDP in 2017) and on inflation (+0.6%), the report estimates.

Energy costs for businesses fell from 2008 to 2015 in most of the sectors studied, with the most significant declines appearing in some energy intensive sectors.

The report also considers fossil fuel subsidies (which did not decrease in recent years) in a context of rising energy subsidies to finance the energy transition (€170 billion in 2016). Finally, it contains chapters on the impact of price regulation and the potential benefits of dynamic pricing.

B. Study: Composition and Drivers of Energy Prices and Costs: Case Studies in Selected Energy Intensive Industries – 2018 (Ecofys).

Based on data collected from 189 plants over a 10-year period (2008-2017), the study shows energy prices and costs borne by EU producers operating in 11 energy intensive subsectors: bricks and roof tiles, wall and floor tiles, glass tableware, packaging glass, aluminium primary, aluminium secondary, aluminium downstream, steel (electric arc furnace - EAF), steel (basic oxygen furnace - BOF), nitrogen fertilisers and refineries. Prices for both electricity and natural gas reached a peak between 2011 and 2013 and then decreased. By 2017, recorded prices had returned to pre-crisis levels. Across all sectors, larger consumers are experiencing lower prices and costs. Regulatory components (e.g. network costs, non-recoverable taxes and levies, etc.) have a larger impact on electricity prices than on natural gas prices. Energy costs represent a driver for cost competitiveness, as they account for between 2% and 43% of total production costs in different subsectors. Whereas it is not possible to draw conclusions on the impact of energy costs on margins, a statistically significant negative association between natural gas prices and plant profitability was detected. Finally, the energy costs borne by EU producers appear to be higher than those faced by their international competitors based in Algeria, Egypt, Russia, United Arab Emirates and the US and comparable to those faced by producers in China and Turkey.

Resource-Efficiency is the new Environmental Policy

• A central environmental, economic and security issue in a multi-polar world
• A policy concept that should yield optimum solutions to the many trade-offs that exist between the environmental, social and economic imperatives of Sustainable Development

Euromines Annual Report 2015 "The Sustainable Goods and Services we provide" is now available. The theme of this year’s report includes four chapters covering the most important areas of Euromines day-to-day work. It highlights a number of achievements in the field of policy, innovation, exploration, environment, energy, health & safety and communication issues.

Both the European Union and our own industry face ‘hard times’ at the moment. However our industry always invests for a better future. As expressed by Euromines President Mr. Mark Rachovides "When we say that European companies “lead the World” that goes beyond profits or market share. Value and investment is expressed in innovation and development but also in conduct. European Companies deliver to the highest standards in the world in all respects and in this annual report we set out some examples of how that is achieved.

European values must be relevant to today’s Europeans. In the Book of Deuteronomy we are guided that “Justice, and only justice you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land..” Mining must be recognised as beneficial to our society, as a responsible and reliable industry and partner that provides both prosperity and hope to Europe..”

We hope you will enjoy reading it.

For hard copies please contact our secretariat: secretariat@euromines.be

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. 

The 2018 Annual Report entitled “Care: Care, Adaptation, Responsibility, Engagement” is now available for download. This year’s report addresses the unique role of the European mineral raw materials extraction industry in achieving broader EU goals of sustainability and climate change mitigation. The industry has already been utilising innovative developments in the shift toward more environmentally and socially conscious operations, but continuous improvements are always a top priority. The 2018 Annual Report discusses our current successes and challenges as we move forward in our work to provide Europe with the materials it needs for a healthy and prosperous economy. 

The Euromines Annual Report 2019 is now available! This year, we present what Euromines is doing to secure supply chains in a rapidly changing world. The European mineral raw materials sector supports a wide variety of industries through the supply of raw materials, and in this role as well as within the mining sector itself, we must prioritise both sustainable efforts and competitiveness.

As Euromines President Mark Rachovides states in the Foreword:

“Today’s decision makers’ contexts, terms of reference, priorities and language have changed. They want and fear different things that reflect a new consensus, whether we like that or not, and that is an opportunity, not a threat.”

As always, we are certain in the ability of Euromines and our members to rise to the occasion and find solutions to today’s challenges.

Euromines brochure is a brief overview of the importance of mineral raw materials for the EU future development. Raw materials are the key enablers of many important policies that will shape our future, such as adaptation to and mitigation of the climate change challenges.

The EU has the potential to increase its capacity to source mineral raw materials domestically and sustainably. It is not a lack of resources; it is a lack of exploration with latest technology that feeds the myth of depleting resources. By increasing mineral domestic production, Europe becomes less dependent and improves its sustainable supply chain.

Mineral Raw Materials in modern society are the lifeblood of the economy. They are the basis for many sectors like agriculture, construction, IT, electronics, energy, chemistry, manufacturing, medicine. Raw materials depending industries in the EU provided 206 billion EUR of added value.

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 mineral raw materials.