JOINT PRESS RELEASE: 18 organisations call for smarter permitting to support EU competitiveness

In a joint statement, sectoral and industrial organizations from the energy, raw materials, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors lay down recommendations to overcome Europe’s permitting challenge and to support the EU’s competitiveness agenda.

Permitting has emerged as one of the most serious structural bottlenecks for Europe’s industrial revival, leading to delayed strategic investments, slowing down the energy transition, undermining competitiveness, and threatening the continent’s long-term industrial base and security of supply.

The European Commission’s permitting-related initiatives represent important steps forward, acknowledging permitting as a strategic priority and introducing clearer timelines, targeted streamlining measures, and a stronger focus on accelerating projects of strategic importance.

18 European and national sectoral and industrial organizations from the energy, raw materials, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors have joined forces to establish the Informal Coalition on Permitting (ICP), a cross-sectoral platform dedicated to improving and accelerating permitting processes across the EU.

 Together, they call on EU policymakers to:

  • Make permitting a strategic enabler of Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and industrial value chains.
  • Streamline and align permitting requirements arising from EU legislation and rules for cross-border projects to reduce duplication and legal uncertainty.
  • Introduce enforceable time limits, digital tracking, and accountability mechanisms.
  • Strengthen permitting authorities through resources, capacity, and modern digital tools.

The coalition is co-chaired by Ms. Gabrielle van Melkebeke, Senior Policy Manager for Sustainability and Environment at IOGP Europe, and Dr. Florian Anderhuber, Deputy Director General at Euromines.

“Effective permitting for projects of strategic importance is essential to Europe’s energy transition, resilient value chains and industrial competitiveness, without compromising environmental protection. Our aim is to ensure that Europe can deliver the projects needed to reach its net-zero targets, secure the future of its industrial base, and remain an attractive destination for investment. This coalition brings together diverse expertise to advance solutions that are both ambitious and workable.” – Gabrielle van Melkebeke, ICP Co-Chair and Senior Policy Manager for Sustainability and Environment at IOGP Europe. 

“Europe cannot meet its strategic industrial, defense and climate objectives without modern, predictable permitting systems. By pooling insights across sectors, the coalition will help policymakers understand where reforms are most urgently needed and how to implement them to support high standards, investment certainty and regulatory predictability.” – Dr. Florian Anderhuber, ICP Co-Chair and Deputy Director General for Energy, Climate, Sustainability at Euromines.

Watch the video interview of Dr. Florian Anderhuber, ICP Co-Chair and Deputy Director General for Energy, Climate, Sustainability at Euromines here or below.

About the coalition:

Representing 18 European and national trade associations, technology providers, project developers, and supply chain partners, the coalition aims to provide a unified, evidence-based voice to support EU institutions and national governments in modernizing Europe’s permitting systems.

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PRESS RELEASE: Auditors identify key actions to unlock Europe’s raw materials industry.

Brussels, 02 February 2026 – The European Court of Auditors’ report on critical raw materials published today sets out a clear diagnosis of the conditions needed to strengthen Europe’s mining and processing industry and secure the raw materials required for the EU’s clean tech ambition. The report confirms that progress depends on targeted action in three key areas: exploration, financing and permitting. Addressing these enablers would significantly improve the delivery of the Critical Raw Materials Act and unlock Europe’s raw-materials potential. 

Key findings highlighted by the auditors include: 

  • Exploration in the EU remains underdeveloped, with only early steps taken to assess Europe’s resource potential and limited activity in high-risk targeted exploration. 
  • Access to finance remains challenging, as mining and integrated mining–processing projects are perceived as high risk due to long timelines, price volatility, energy costs and regulatory uncertainty. 
  • Bankability is constrained by the absence of stable, standards-based markets, limiting long-term investment and access to finance. 
  • Permitting procedures remain lengthy, complex and fragmented, continuing to delay projects despite improvements introduced by the Critical Raw Materials Act. 

“The path to a stronger European raw-materials industry is clear,” said Rolf Kuby, Director General at Euromines. “Investment in exploration, bankable projects and efficient permitting can deliver secure and competitive supply chains.” 

 Euromines and its members are ready to support the EU in its ambition to increase the value chain resilience. This report supports our key message to foster the development of standards-based markets, support long-term investment, and adopt a permitting omnibus that delivers legal clarity, streamlines procedures across EU environmental legislation and ensures faster, more predictable decision-making — while maintaining high environmental and social standards. 

Read the European Court of Auditors’ report here.

About Euromines

Euromines, the European Association of Mining, Metal Ores & Industrial Metals, is the voice of European metals and minerals mining industry. Our primary goal is to promote responsible industry practices and ensure that mining receives appropriate consideration in EU policymaking. As a collaborative network, Euromines brings together the Secretariat and Members to assess the impact of European and international policies on the industry, shaping unified positions and actions. Representing both large and small companies, a well as their subsidiaries across Europe and beyond. Euromines advocates for a sustainable and competitive mining sector. 

For media enquires, please contact:

Anna Zanetti

zanetti@euromines.be