The European Union has pledged to gradually reduce its dependence on imported raw materials

  According to Mining weekly, the European Union is stepping up efforts to reduce its dependence on imported raw materials such as rare earths and lithium. Novel Coronavirus outbreak caused by the supply chain disruption, reinforced the urgency of self-sufficiency.

  The European Commission has vowed to create a "raw materials alliance" by The end of 2020 in an effort to "strengthen The EU's defences in The value chain of rare earths and magnets", important to industries from renewable energy to space.

  The 27-nation Eu executive in Brussels said the raw materials bloc would expand its mandate over time to meet demand for other key raw materials and base metals.

  "We cannot afford to be totally dependent on third countries," Thierry Breton, the European Industry commissioner, said in a statement on Thursday. "By diversifying supplies from third countries and developing the EU's own capacity to extract, process, recycle, refine and separate rare earths, we can become more resilient and sustainable."

  The novel Coronavirus outbreak provided a political impetus for a more active industrial policy in Europe.This has long been a sensitive topic in the EU. Because northern governments in the EU tend to favour free markets; Governments in the south tend to be interventionist.

  While the EU has sought for years to limit the economic risks of relying on foreign raw materials, it has largely applied its international trade policies and domestic research programs to the effort.

  Eurometaux, the European metals industry association, welcomed The Commission's initiative on Thursday.The Brussels-based association represents European producers and recyclers of non-ferrous metals.

  "We are passionate about this, and we are happy to work with the European Commission to ensure its success," Mikael Staffas, President of THE European Metals Industry Association and chief executive of Boliden AB, a Sweden-based mining company, said in an interview.