Building a sustainable and competitive battery raw materials industry in Europe – How can it be achieved?

In its 2019 Green Deal, the EU emphasised the importance of domestic electric vehicle (EV) battery production to achieve the energy transition while fostering a competitive and sustainable battery value chain. The goal is to scale up domestic EV battery production and establish a fully integrated value chain within the EU. While significant progress has been made, the reality today shows that the EU is still far from fully achieving these objectives.The 2024 Draghi Report, along with the European Commission’s newly introduced Competitiveness Compass for the EU, highlights key challenges facing Europe’s sustainable growth and global competitiveness. These include slower productivity growth compared to other regions and the disruptive impact of emerging technologies. The report identifies three key areas for action: closing the innovation gap, advancing a competitive decarbonisation strategy, and enhancing security by reducing external dependencies.Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to explore the challenges facing the EU’s battery raw materials industry. Questions to be addressed include:- What is the current state of industries supplying critical raw materials, such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel, for the EV battery value chain?- Does the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass effectively address the industry's concerns? Where do the major challenges lie?- What actions are needed to build a robust and resilient EU battery raw materials industry?- What measures can be taken to ensure sustainable domestic raw material production and recycling while expanding capacities to meet growing demand?