SIP released on sustainability of raw materials

A Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) has been released by the High Level Steering Group of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials describing what needs to be done to ensure a sustainable supply of raw materials to the European economy and make Europe a world leader in raw materials exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution by 2020.

In order to secure a sustainable supply of raw materials, Europe is confronted with a number of challenges along the entire raw materials value chain – exploration, extraction, processing/refining, recycling as well as substitution. The SIP aims to address all actions necessary to achieve the objectives and targets, including research and development along the value chain, raw materials knowledge, exchange of best practices, revision of selected legislations, licensing steps, standardisation, and policy dialogues.

Antonio Tajani, European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship and a leader of the High Level Steering Group, commented: “Innovation in raw materials – be it in mining, processing, recycling, or substitution – holds the key to future growth and jobs. With today’s proposal we underline that Europe is capable of addressing these important challenges, drawing on our innovative EU research capabilities, as bolstered by Horizon 2020. This will help our industry both create jobs and protect the environment.”

The SIP outlines detailed actions which the parties involved – EU countries, companies, researchers and NGOs – can use to foster technological and non-technological innovation in our raw materials value chain, as well as in the international arena. These include a wide range of initiatives such as new cost effective exploration concepts and technologies, better recovery and recycling of demolition waste and finding substitutes for critical raw materials such as the indium used in touch screen technologies.

A public Call for Commitments to be issued at the end of October 2013 will allow all potential stakeholders to express their concrete intention to contribute to the implementation of the SIP. A Communication will follow in 2014, to explain how the European Commission, member states, industry and academia intend to implement the SIP.