"The EU is dependent on other countries for most of its critical raw materials", according to ECA audit

"The EU is dependent on other countries (such as China, Turkey or Chile) for most critical raw materials it needs for its green, digital, defense and aerospace sectors. From the 26 materials necessary for the energy transition, we are fully dependent on imports for 10 of them. The situation isn’t much better for many other materials. This makes us vulnerable and discredits our goal to be a strong, independent geopolitical power", declared Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, member of the European Court of Auditors on 02/02/2026.

She presented the main conclusions of the ECA special report, entitled ““Critical raw materials for the energy transition - Not a rock-solid policy”, and also its five recommandations "to make the supply more secure".

"As talks about resources, dependencies and trade fill the news, our audit shows that the EU still has a way to go to secure the supply of materials that are crucial for our economy. Without strategic raw materials, there will be no strategic autonomy and any talk of energy transition and competitiveness remains hollow", she said.

Keit Pentus-Rosimannus…