Critical Raw Materials Act: implementation of the regulation on critical raw materials

Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 on critical raw materials (Critical Raw Materials Act) has been in force since 23 May 2024. It sets 2030 benchmarks: at least 10% of the EU’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials from extraction in the EU, 40% from processing and 25% from recycling, with no single third country accounting for more than 65%. Copper and bauxite, alumina and aluminium are both strategic and critical raw materials; zinc, lead and tin appear in neither list.

• Strategic projects: 47 in the EU (25.03.2025), 13 outside the EU (04.06.2025) and 46 in the EU (09.10.2026) – including the Retków-Grodziszcze deposit and the Integrated Recycling Smelter of KGHM Polska Miedź.
• Amending proposal COM(2025) 946 of 3 December 2025: the Council adopted its position on 4 March 2026; in the European Parliament the file was referred back to the ITRE committee on 9 July 2026.
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1116 lists waste streams with critical raw material recovery potential, including aluminium, copper, their alloys and cables from construction and demolition waste.
• The RESourceEU plan announces measures for aluminium scrap; the Commission plans to adopt the trade measure (initiative 16192) in Q4 2026.

Full overview – procedure, 2030 benchmarks and raw material lists, implementation timeline, projects involving Poland and official sources: Policy – Critical Raw Materials Act: implementation