On April 9, 2025, Euromines hosted a high-level conference in Brussels titled “Geopolitics at Play: The War Below for Europe’s Defense”, bringing together leading policymakers and industry experts to tackle the continent’s growing vulnerabilities in defense, energy security, and raw material supply chains.
Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and fragile global supply networks, the event addressed how Europe can secure its industrial and strategic autonomy in an increasingly volatile world.
Six Key Takeaways from the Event:
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Securing Critical Raw Materials for Defense
The EU’s dependence on imports for rare earths, lithium, and titanium poses a serious threat to defense readiness. The Critical Raw Materials Act is a step towards ensuring the EU can access these materials independently and sustainably. -
Europe’s Defense Strategy: Readiness 2030
As part of broader defense initiatives like “Readiness 2030” and “Rearm Europe”, the EU is addressing capability gaps while reinforcing material support to Ukraine and ensuring a sustainable supply of key defense-related inputs. -
Strategic Stockpiling and Policy Gaps
The need for raw material stockpiling during crises was emphasized. However, funding mechanisms and legal frameworks to implement this effectively remain unclear, signaling a critical policy gap. -
Energy Security Amid Geopolitical Risk
With the continued energy standoff involving Russia, Europe must diversify its supply chains and reduce dependence on China and other dominant suppliers by deepening international cooperation. -
Global Partnerships and Supply Chain Resilience
Collaborations with resource-rich nations, including South Africa, and multilateral efforts like the Mineral Security Partnership are seen as pivotal for securing raw material flows and attracting private investment into the sector. -
Transatlantic Cooperation Is Key
A united Europe-North America front remains vital in navigating current and future security challenges. Strengthened transatlantic ties are viewed as a foundation for Europe’s long-term defense and industrial resilience.
The event underscored that securing Europe’s raw materials is no longer just an economic issue—it’s a matter of defense and strategic survival.
