Workshop: Developing Europe’s International Observatory for Raw Materials

As part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Programme for Research & Innovation, the 36-month project INTRAW aims to map best practices and develop new cooperation opportunities related to raw materials between the EU and technologically advanced countries, in response to similar global challenges. INTRAW addresses issues such as raw materials policies and strategies; joint educational and skills programmes; licensing and permitting procedures, royalties and tax policies; data reporting systems; exploration, extraction, processing and recycling practices; and management and substitution of critical raw materials. The outcome of the mapping and knowledge transfer activities that are conducted in the first two years of the project will be used as a baseline to set up and launch the European Union’s International Observatory for Raw Materials as a permanent raw materials knowledge body.

INTRAW is intended to play a key role in the alignment of research and innovation activities among the EU countries, boosting synergies with research, education and trade practices for a sustainable access and supply of raw materials being developed in Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa and the USA.

In this workshop, a discussion of the most important factors which explain how and why each of the reference countries has become technologically and economically advanced during the 20^th and 21^st century will be the starting point to define cooperation opportunities built on best practices in research and innovation, education and outreach and industry and trade.