COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the 2017 list of Critical Raw Materials for the EU
Date: 2017-09-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission
Subjects: innovation, investment policy, processing industry, raw material, security of supply, third country, waste recycling

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 13.9.2017  COM(2017) 490 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the 2017 list of Critical Raw Materials for the EU  
 
 
Given  the  continued  strategic  importance  of  raw  materials  for  the  EU  manufacturing 
industry1,  the  Commission  is  implementing  a  wide  range  of  actions  under  the  EU  Raw 
Materials Initiative to help ensure their secure, sustainable and affordable supply. The list of 
critical raw materials for the EU is a central element of this Initiative.  

The Raw Materials Initiative was put forward in 2008 to tackle the challenges related to the 
access to raw materials. This Communication updates the 2014 list of critical raw materials. 
The primary purpose of the list is to identify the raw materials with a high supply-risk and a 
high economic importance to which reliable and unhindered access is a concern for European 
industry and value chains. Following an objective methodology the list provides a factual tool 
for  trade,  innovation  and  industrial  policy  measures  to  strengthen  the  competitiveness  of 
European industry in line with the renewed industrial strategy for Europe2, for instance by:  

 

identifying investment needs which can help alleviate Europe's reliance on imports of 
raw materials; 

  guiding support to  innovation on raw  materials supply under  the EU's Horizon 2020 

research and innovation programme; 

  drawing attention to the importance of critical raw materials for the transition to a low-

carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy.  

The  list  should  help  incentivise  the  European  production  of  critical  raw  materials  through 
enhancing recycling activities and when necessary to facilitate the launching of new mining 
activities. It also allows to better understand how the security of supply of raw materials can 
be  achieved  through  supply  diversification,  from  different  geographical  sources  via 
extraction, recycling or substitution.  

The  list  is  used  by  the  Commission  as  a  supporting  element  when  negotiating  trade 
agreements,  challenging  trade-distortive  measures,  developing  research  and  innovation 
actions and implementing the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and its Sustainable 
Development  Goals.  Critical  raw  materials  are  a  priority  area  in  the  EU  Circular  Economy 
Action Plan3 in order to foster their efficient use and recycling. The list may also be relevant 
for the purpose of the review of foreign direct investments in the EU4, put forward in parallel 
with this Communication. It can also be used by Member States, companies and investors on 
a  voluntary  basis  to  inform  them  about  potential  raw  material  supply  risks  and  related 
opportunities. 

This  Communication  presents  an  updated  list  of  27  critical  raw  materials  for  the  EU  as  a 
result of a third assessment. It follows the two subsequent Communications on raw materials, 
which established a list of 14 critical raw materials in 20115 and a revised list of 20 critical 

1  According  to  the  VDI  Centre  for  Resource  Efficiency  (VDI  ZRE),  materials  are  the  main  cost  factor  in  the 
manufacturing sector (44%, compared to 18% for labour, 3% for taxes and 2% for energy).  
2  Commission's  Communication  'Investing  in  a  smart,  innovative  and  sustainable  industry:  A  renewed  EU 
Industrial Policy Strategy' (COM(2017) 479) 
3  Commission's  Communication  'Closing  the  loop  –  An  EU  action  action  plan  for  the  Circular  Economy' 
(COM(2015) 614) 
4  Commission's  Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  establishing  a  framework  for 
screening of foreign direct investments in the European Union (COM(2017) 487) 
5  Commission's  Communication  'Tackling  the  challenges  in  commodity  markets  and  on  raw  materials' 
(COM(2011)25) 

2 

 
 
                                                            
raw  materials  in  20146.  The  list  of  critical  raw  materials  for  the  EU  is  subject  to  regular 
update  at  least  every  three  years,  in  order  to  reflect  production,  market  and  technology 
developments, and the number of raw materials assessed has increased with each update. 

Following  the  recommendations  of  the  2014  Report  of  the  Ad  hoc  Working  Group  on 
defining critical raw materials7, this third assessment of critical raw materials was conducted 
based on a refined methodology developed by the Commission8, while ensuring comparability 
with  the  previous  methodological  approaches  (2011  and  2014).  Economic  importance  and 
supply risk remain the two main parameters used to determine the criticality of a raw material. 
Main  improvements  in  the  revised  methodology  relate  to  trade  (import  reliance  and  export 
restrictions  in  calculating  supply  risk),  substitution  as  a  factor  correcting  both  economic 
importance  and  supply  risk,  and  detailed  allocation  of  raw  materials  end-uses  based  on 
industrial applications to define economic importance.  

Raw materials, even if not classed as critical, are important for the European economy as they 
are at the beginning of manufacturing value chains. Their availability may quickly change in 
line  with  trade  flows  or  trade  policy  developments  underlining  the  general  need  of 
diversification of supply and the increase of recycling rates of all raw materials. 

6 Commission's Communication 'On the review of the list of CRM for the EU and the implementation of the Raw 
Materials Initiative' (COM(2014)297) 
7 Report on Critical Raw Materials for the EU, Report of the Ad hoc Working Group on defining critical raw 
materials, May 2014 
8 See: Methodology for establishing the EU List of Critical Raw Materials, 2017, ISBN 978-92-79-68051-9 

3 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Annex 1 

List of critical raw materials for the EU 

The 27 raw materials listed below are critical for the EU because risks of supply shortage and 
their impacts on the economy are higher than those of most of the other raw materials. The 
table indicates the existence of domestic production of certain critical raw materials in the EU, 
notably hafnium. However, China is the most influential country in terms of global supply of 
majority  of  critical  raw  materials,  such  as  rare  earth  elements,  magnesium,  tungsten, 
antimony,  gallium  and  germanium  among  others.  Several  other  countries  have  dominant 
supplies of specific raw materials, such as Brazil (niobium) or USA (beryllium and helium). 
Supply  of  platinum  group  metals  is  concentrated  in  Russia  (palladium)  and  South  Africa 
(iridium,  platinum,  rhodium  and  ruthenium).  The  risks  associated  with  the  concentration  of 
production are in many cases compounded by low substitution and low recycling rates.  

The  2017  criticality  assessment  was  carried  out  for  78  raw  materials.  The  extended  scope 
includes nine new materials as compared to 2014 assessment9.   

The nine new critical raw materials for the EU, as compared to 2014 list, are highlighted in 
dark  grey  in  the  table  below.  The  three  raw  materials  (chromium,  coking  coal  and 
magnesite)10 are not deemed critical based on the 2017 assessment. While heavy rare earths11, 
light  rare  earths12  and  platinum  group  metals13  were  assessed  individually,  they  remain  as 
groups  in  the  criticality  list  (arithmetic  average  shown  in  the  table)  in  order  to  ensure 
comparability with the previous assessment. 

Raw 
materials 

Antimony  

Main global 
producers  
(average 2010-2014) 

Main importers  
to the EU  
(average 2010-2014) 

Sources  
of EU supply 
(average 2010-2014) 

Import 
reliance 
rate* 

Substitution 
indexes 
EI/SR** 

End-of-life 
recycling 
input rate*** 

China (87%) 
Vietnam (11%) 

China (90%) 
Vietnam (4%) 

China (90%) 
Vietnam (4%) 

100% 

0.91 / 0.93 

28% 

Baryte 

China (44%) 
India (18%) 
Morocco (10%) 

China (53%) 
Morocco (37%) 
Turkey (7%) 

China (34%) 
Morocco (30%) 
Germany (8%) 
Turkey (6%)  
United Kingdom (5%) 
Other EU (4%) 

80% 

0.93 / 0.94 

1% 

Beryllium 

United States (90%) 
China (8%) 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a14 

0.99 / 0.99 

0% 

9  Abiotic:  Aggregates,  Bismuth, Helium,  Lead, Phosphorus,  Sulphur; Biotic:  Natural  cork, Natural  teak wood, 
Sapele wood. 
10  However,  coking  coal,  which  was  on  the  2014  list  of  critical  raw  materials  for  the  EU,  is  considered  a 
borderline case. Although it narrowly misses the economic importance threshold, for the sake of caution, coking 
coal is kept on the list of critical raw materials for the EU and thus included in the table. However, it will be 
phased out from the next list should it fail to meet the criteria in full. 
11 Dysprosium, Erbium, Europium, Gadolinium, Holmium, Lutetium, Terbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Yttrium 
12 Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Samarium 
13 Palladium, Platinum, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Iridium 
14  The  EU  import  reliance  cannot  be  calculated  for  the  beryllium,  as  there  is  no  production  and  trade  for 
beryllium ores and concentrates in the EU. 

4 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Bismuth 

Borate 

Cobalt  

China (82%), 
Mexico (11%) 
Japan (7%) 

Turkey (38%) 
Unites States (23%) 
Argentina (12%) 

Democratic Republic 
of Congo (64%) 
China (5%) 
Canada (5%) 

China (84%) 

China (84%) 

100% 

0.96 / 0.94 

1% 

Turkey (98%) 

Turkey (98%) 

100% 

1.0 / 1.0 

0% 

Russia (91%) 
Democratic Republic 
of Congo (7%) 

Finland (66%) 
Russia (31%) 

32% 

1.0 / 1.0 

0% 

United States (38%) 
Australia (34%) 
Russia (9%) 
Canada (7%) 
Poland (1%) 
Germany (1%) 
Czech Republic (1%) 
United Kingdom (1%) 

Mexico (27%) 
Spain (13%) 
China (12%) 
South Africa (11%) 
Namibia (9%) 
Kenya (7%) 
Germany (5%) 
Bulgaria (4%) 
United Kingdom (4%) 
Other EU (1%) 

China (36%) 
Germany (27%) 
United States (8%) 
Ukraine (6%) 
South Korea (5%) 
Hungary (5%) 

China (43%) 
Finland (28%) 
Russia (12%) 
United States (12%) 

63% 

0.92 / 0.92 

0% 

70% 

0.98 / 0.97 

1% 

34% 

0/95 / 0.96 

0% 

64% 

1.0 / 1.0 

2% 

Coking coal 

China (54%) 
Australia (15%) 
United States (7%) 
Russia (7%) 

United States (39%) 
Australia (36%) 
Russia (9%) 
Canada (8%) 

Mexico (38%) 
China (17%) 
South Africa (15%) 
Namibia (12%) 
Kenya (9%) 

China (53%) 
United States (11%) 
Ukraine (9%) 
South Korea (8%) 

China (60%) 
Russia (17%) 
United States (16%) 

Fluorspar  

China (64%) 
Mexico (16%) 
Mongolia (5%) 

Gallium15 

China (85%) 
Germany (7%) 
Kazakhstan (5%) 

Germanium 

Hafnium 

China (67%)  
Finland (11%) 
Canada (9%)  
United States (9%) 

France (43%) 
United States (41%) 
Ukraine (8%) 
Russia (8%) 

Canada (67%) 
China (33%) 

France (71%) 
Canada (19%) 
China (10%) 

9% 

0.93 / 0.97 

1% 

15 Gallium is a by-product; the best available data refer to production capacity, not to production as such. 

5 

 
 
                                                            
Helium 

United States (73%) 
Qatar (12%) 
Algeria (10%) 

Indium 

China (57%) 
South Korea (15%) 
Japan (10%) 

Magnesium 

China (87%) 
United States (5%) 

United States (53%) 
Algeria (29%) 
Qatar (8%) 
Russia (8%) 

China (41%) 
Kazakhstan (19%) 
South Korea (11%) 
Hong Kong (8%) 

United States (51%) 
Algeria (29%) 
Qatar (8%) 
Russia (7%) 
Poland (3%) 

China (28%) 
Belgium (19%) 
Kazakhstan (13%) 
France (11%) 
South Korea (8%) 
Hong Kong (6%) 

96% 

0/94 / 0.96 

1% 

0% 

0.94 / 0.97 

0% 

China (94%) 

China (94%) 

100% 

0/91 / 0.91 

9% 

Natural 
graphite 

China (69%) 
India (12%) 
Brazil (8%) 

China (63%) 
Brazil (13%) 
Norway (7%) 

Natural 
rubber 

Niobium 

Thailand (32%) 
Indonesia (26%) 
Vietnam (8%) 
India (8%) 

Brazil (90%)  
Canada (10%) 

Phosphate 
rock 

China (44%) 
Morocco (13%) 
United States (13%) 

Phosphorus 

Scandium 

Silicon 
metal  

China (58%) 
Vietnam (19%) 
Kazakhstan (13%) 
United States (11%) 

China (66%) 
Russia (26%) 
Ukraine (7%) 

China (61%) 
Brazil (9%) 
Norway (7%) 
United States (6%) 
France (5%) 

China (63%) 
Brazil (13%) 
Norway (7%) 
EU (< 1%) 

Indonesia (32%) 
Malaysia (20%) 
Thailand (17%) 
Ivory Coast (12%) 

Brazil (71%) 
Canada (13%) 

Morocco (28%) 
Russia (16%) 
Syria (11%) 
Algeria (10%) 
EU – Finland (12%) 

99% 

0.95 / 0.97 

3% 

100% 

0.92 / 0.92 

1% 

100% 

0.91 / 0.94 

0.3% 

88% 

1.0 / 1.0 

17% 

Indonesia (32%) 
Malaysia (20%) 
Thailand (17%) 
Ivory Coast (12%) 

Brazil (71%) 
Canada (13%) 

Morocco (31%) 
Russia (18%) 
Syria (12%) 
Algeria (12%) 

Kazakhstan (77%) 
China (14%) 
Vietnam (8%) 

Kazakhstan (77%) 
China (14%) 
Vietnam (8%) 

100% 

0.91 / 0.91 

0% 

Russia (67%) 
Kazakhstan (33%) 

Russia (67%) 
Kazakhstan (33%) 

100% 

0.91 / 0.95 

0% 

64% 

0.99 / 0.99 

0% 

Norway (35%) 
Brazil (18%) 
China (18%) 

Norway (23%) 
France (19%) 
Brazil (12%) 
China (12%) 
Spain (9%) 
Germany (5%) 

6 

 
 
Tantalum16 

Rwanda (31%)  
Democratic Republic 
of Congo (19%) 
Brazil (14%) 

Nigeria (81%) 
Rwanda (14%) 
China (5%) 

Tungsten17  

China (84%) 
Russia (4%) 

Russia (84%) 
Bolivia (5%) 
Vietnam (5%) 

Vanadium 

China (53%) 
South Africa (25%) 
Russia (20%) 

Russia (71%) 
China (13%) 
South Africa (13%) 

Platinum 
Group  
Metals 

Heavy Rare 
Earth 
Elements  

Light Rare 
Earth 
Elements 

South Africa (83%) 
- iridium, platinum, 
rhodium, ruthenium 
Russia (46%) 
- palladium 

Switzerland (34%) 
South Africa (31%) 
United States (21%) 
Russia (8%) 

China (95%) 

China (95%) 

China (40%) 
USA (34%) 
Russia (25%) 

China (40%) 
USA (34%) 
Russia (25%) 

China (40%) 
USA (34%) 
Russia (25%) 

China (40%) 
USA (34%) 
Russia (25%) 

Nigeria (81%) 
Rwanda (14%) 
China (5%) 

Russia (50%) 
Portugal (17%) 
Spain (15%) 
Austria (8%) 

Russia (60%) 
China (11%) 
South Africa (10%) 
Belgium (9%) 
United Kingdom (3%) 
Netherlands (2%) 
Germany (2%)  
Other EU (0.5%) 

Switzerland (34%) 
South Africa (31%) 
United States (21%) 
Russia (8%) 

100% 

0.94 / 0.95 

1% 

44% 

0.94 / 0.97 

42% 

84% 

0.91 / 0.94 

44% 

99.6% 

0.93 / 0.98 

14% 

100% 

0.96 / 0.89 

8% 

100% 

0.90 / 0.93 

3% 

Notes: 

(*) The 'Import reliance rate' takes into account global supply and actual EU sourcing in the 
calculation of Supply Risk, and it is calculated as follows: EU net imports / (EU net imports + 
EU domestic production). 

(**) The ‘Substitution index’ is a measure of the difficulty in substituting the material, scored 
and weighted across all applications, calculated separately for both Economic Importance and 
Supply Risk parameters. Values are between 0 and 1, with 1 being the least substitutable.  

The economic importance is corrected by the Substitution Index (SIEI) related to technical and 
cost  performance  of  the  substitutes  for  individual  applications  of  each  material.  The  supply 

16  Tantalum  is  covered  by  the  Conflict  Minerals  Regulation  (Regulation  (EU)  2017/821)  establishing  a  Union 
system for supply chain due diligence to curtail opportunities for armed groups and security forces to trade in tin, 
tantalum and tungsten, and their ores, and gold. 
17  Tungsten  is  covered  by  the  Conflict  Minerals  Regulation  (Regulation  (EU)  2017/821)  establishing  a  Union 
system for supply chain due diligence to curtail opportunities for armed groups and security forces to trade in tin, 
tantalum and tungsten, and their ores, and gold. 

7 

 
 
  
                                                            
risk is corrected by the Substitution Index (SISR) related to global production, criticality and 
co-/by-production of the substitutes for individual applications of each material.  

(***) The ‘End-of-life recycling input rate’ measures the ratio of recycling from old scrap to 
EU demand of a given raw material, the latter equal to primary and secondary material supply 
inputs to the EU. 

Source:  compiled  on the  basis  of  the  Final  Report  of the  'Study  on the  review  of the list  of 
Critical Raw Materials' 2017.  

8