Approach

 

In the first project year the partners will map the contextual environment of the target countries (Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa and the United States) against the contextual environment of the European Union. This will lead to a better understanding of the achievements made in these countries in the field of raw materials research & innovation, educational and skills programmes, trade, exploration, exploitation, processing, recycling and substitution. In addition, the corresponding policies and practices of each of these domains will be mapped and compared to their European counterparts.

Based on best practices identified in the target countries, cooperation strategies will be developed in the second project year. Special attention will be given to communication methods and tools, regular and systematic market monitoring, export-import policies, foreign cooperation, taxation incentive programmes, research/industry cooperation, geological data availability and reporting and skills training.

Towards the end of the project, the European Union’s International Observatory for Raw Materials will be launched as a permanent body. The Observatory will capitalize on the work made in the previous two years to improve the framework conditions of the EU raw materials sector, contributing to the enhanced competitiveness and stability of both EU and non-EU countries that face similar challenges.