This month, we have seen several important developments in the metals sector. Firstly, I want to congratulate all the European Metals members who have succeeded in gaining Strategic Project Status under the Critical Raw Materials Act – 46 new Strategic Projects have been announced taking the total to 106 such designations across the globe. The challenge will now be to turn that designation into success, something that has not always happened for projects in the past. We are still calling for dedicated funding for the projects and we hope that the Member States will support the European Parliament's call for 10bn EUR dedicated funding for CRMs. That could make more of the projects successful.
We also launched our Call to Action at the European Parliament during Metals Day, to encourage policymakers to support the non-ferrous metals industry in Europe. I am happy to say that we already have four MEPs who wish to support this campaign – a huge thank you to Radan Kanev, Prof. Yannis Maniatis, Kristian Vigenin and Hildegard Bentele. Working together we can deliver the five elements of the call for action, starting with local content requirements and affordable energy!
We also had the opportunity to discuss the European critical raw materials agenda with the Argentinian Minister for Energy and Mines, Daniel Gonzalez, in a dedicated members-only roundtable. He made it clear that Argentina is open for business with Europe and that they have a strong preference for working with us. The discussion was rich and many participants left with new ideas about how to do more business with Argentina.
Our international efforts didn’t stop there and our Corporate Affairs Director, Martina, had the honour of addressing the OECD on the topics of raw material resilience and finance, as well as our trading relationship with China. On that note, European Metals led a coalition of 46 organisations (including trade unions) to call for an improved approach for trade with China – we need a fair playing field if our European industrial sectors are to survive. This point was also made by Martina and was well received by our OECD allies.
I am also pleased that we have two contributions from the team – Laura, our Head of Sustainability, outlines our core ambitions for the Circular Economy Act and how these also relate to the Critical Raw Materials Act. And Marie answers five questions posed by our editorial team about life and European Metals!
Enjoy your reading.
Dr James Watson
Director General of European Metals
Editorial
As competitiveness, diversification and strategic autonomy increasingly dominate Europe’s policy agenda, strengthening recycling and circularity has become more important than ever. For our sector, the non-ferrous metals industry, this is not only about recycling more. It is about securing access to the materials Europe needs to deliver its green and digital transitions, strengthen its industrial competitiveness and meet its security needs. The upcoming Circular Economy Act offers an important opportunity to turn this ambition into reality.
The Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) sets a clear direction for strengthening Europe’s raw materials value chains, from extraction and processing to recycling. The Circular Economy Act must therefore provide the enabling regulatory framework to help deliver these recycling ambitions. Achieving the CRMA's 2030 recycling benchmark will require measures to improve intra-EU waste shipments, facilitate access to secondary raw materials and establish a coherent and predictable regulatory framework.
Today, too much of this potential remains untapped. Fragmented implementation of waste legislation, barriers to intra-EU shipments and insufficient collection and treatment of waste prevent valuable metals from being recovered efficiently and returned into the loop. At the same time, the leakage of valuable metal waste and falsely declared products to destinations where environmental and treatment standards may be lower also remain a concern.
The Circular Economy Act must address these challenges. A key priority should be to establish a well-functioning Single Market for Waste, harmonising definitions and simplifying procedures for intra-EU shipments, particularly to certified pre-consented facilities. Higher collection rates, better sorting and more effective dismantling must also be prioritised, particularly for complex waste streams containing critical and strategic raw materials. As we have consistently highlighted, recycling infrastructure can only process what is collected.
Moreover, metals are interconnected within an integrated ecosystem: one metal may act as a carrier, enabling the economically viable recovery of critical raw materials and other valuable metals. Focusing exclusively on selected critical raw materials risks overlooking these interdependencies, disrupting established business models and undermining the competitiveness of European recyclers. EU policies must therefore recognise the importance of recovering metals as part of an integrated value chain, rather than treating individual materials in isolation.
Ultimately, a successful circular economy depends on the entire metals value chain: securing access to secondary raw materials, designing products for circularity and ensuring effective collection, treatment and recovery.
Metals are indispensable to Europe's energy transition, digital transformation, industrial competitiveness and security. Their ability to be recycled repeatedly while retaining their properties makes them a strategic resource for a more resilient European economy.
If Europe wants to strengthen its strategic autonomy, it mustunlock the full potential of its urban mines.
Circularity must become a core pillar of Europe's industrial strategy, not only as an environmental objective, but as a strategic imperative for its competitiveness, resilience and long-term security.
Laura Fazio Bellacchio Head of Sustainability at European Metals
Metals Day 2026
One day and three high-level discussions put Europe’s metals industry at the heart of the debate.
On 29 September, Metals Day 2026 brought together MEPs, policymakers, industry leaders and media at the European Parliament to discuss the future of Europe’s metals value chains.
Across the three sessions, the direction was clear: Europe must create the right conditions to keep metals production and recycling competitive and sustainable.
The first session, “Made in EU for EU”, focused on strengthening Europe’s industrial base, reducing strategic dependencies and building more integrated value chains. Speakers highlighted the need to boost domestic production and circularity, while ensuring that more industrial value is created and retained in Europe.
The session on “Critical Energy Policy for Critical Raw Materials”highlighted the importance of reliable and competitive energy, adequate infrastructure, faster permitting and the right conditions for investment. The message was clear: decarbonisation and competitiveness must advance together if Europe wants to retain metals production and recycling.
The final session, “Sustainable Raw Materials in the Circular Economy Act”, focused on measures to create an EU Single Market for Waste, improve access to feedstock and the importance of policy coherence.
Across all three discussions, one point stood out: Europe’s ambitions will only be as strong as its industrial base. The focus now must be on creating the conditions for metals producers and recyclers to invest, grow and compete.
Want to see the key moments and takeaways from Metals Day 2026? Highlights video and photo gallery soon availablehere.
Metals Day 2026 may be over, but there’s more to come. Stay tunedherefor upcoming European Metals events.
Building Europe’s Future with European Metals
Our Call to Action
Metals are essential to Europe’s green, digital and industrial ambitions.
That is the message behind European Metals’ new Call to Action, ‘Building Europe’s Future with European Metals’, launched on 29 September during Metals Day at the European Parliament.
The campaign sets out what Europe’s non-ferrous metals industry needs to remain competitive, strengthen resilience and support Europe’s strategic autonomy and sustainability goals.
To turn that ambition into action, European Metals is calling for progress in five key areas.
We need a strong EU metals industry today to build a better future for Europe tomorrow. That is what this Call to Action is all about.
We are delighted to have MEP Yannis Maniatis, MEP Radan Kanev, MEP Hildegard Bentele and MEP Kristian Vigenin as ambassadors of our campaign, alongside Metal Packaging Europe as a supporter of the initiative.
🌐Explore our five priorities and learn more about why metals matter for Europe’s future. Visit ourwebsite.
Argentina and Europe explore stronger cooperation on metals and raw materials
Global competition for critical raw materials is growing, pushing Europe to look for new ways to build stronger and more diverse supply chains.
On 5 October, European Metals together with Albemarle Corporation organised a high-level roundtable with Daniel González, Argentina’s Secretary of Energy and Mining. The meeting brought together representatives from Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Argentine Embassy, the European Commission’s DG GROW, DG ENER and DG INTPA, and European Metals member companies.
The discussion focused on how Europe and Argentina can work more closely on critical raw materials, particularly on access to resources, investment and stronger industrial links.
Setting the scene, James Watson, Director General of European Metals, highlighted the importance of metals for Europe’s future, from the energy transition and digitalisation to defence and economic security. He stressed that a more resilient Europe will depend on strong and long-term relationships with reliable international partners.
The industry perspective added a practical dimension to the discussion. Francesco Gattiglio, Vice-President External Affairs EU at Albemarle, emphasised Albemarle’s experience in Argentina and the opportunities for deeper links with European value chains.
Argentina has much to offer. The country is seeking to turn its vast mineral potential into new investment, placing natural resources and mining at the centre of its economic strategy. Secretary González presented the reforms introduced by the government, including the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), designed to attract major investments by providing more stable tax, customs and foreign exchange conditions. The aim is to create a framework in which investors can commit capital to long-term mining projects with clearer and more predictable rules.
Behind this opportunity lies a strong and growing resource base. Argentina is rapidly expanding its lithium sector and has significant copper potential, both of which will be central to electrification and future industrial growth. For Europe, this comes at a crucial moment, as diversifying supply is becoming increasingly important to reduce dependencies and strengthen its industrial base.
Both sides have much to gain from a closer partnership. Argentina brings vast mineral potential, while Europe can contribute investment and technology. Turning this potential into real projects will require reliable infrastructure and strong private investment, creating greater local value and opportunities for communities and industry.
For Europe, the goal is not simply to find more suppliers, but to build stronger relationships with countries it can rely on. Félix Fernandez-Shaw, Director for Decarbonisation, Mobility and Raw Materials at DG GROW, said this broader mix of partners will be increasingly important for Europe’s raw materials security.
The discussion also went beyond supply security and investment, looking at how new projects can deliver sustainability, local value, skills and real benefits for communities.
The next step is to turn this potential into concrete investment, projects and lasting cooperation.
European Metals at the OECD: Advancing Critical Minerals Investment
On 5 October, Dr Martina Bassan, Director of Corporate Affairs at European Metals, represented European Metals at the OECD session “Securing Critical Minerals: From Analysis to Action”. During the roundtable “Unlocking the Deal: From Policy Frameworks to Bankable Projects”, she put forward a clear message: strategic autonomy needs capital. The session was organised by Business at OECD, together with the B7 and MEDEF.
The meeting brought together business leaders, governments, the OECD and the IEA to explore how critical minerals projects can attract more investment, while improving traceability and strengthening supply chain resilience.
For European Metals, the message is clear: strategic autonomy needs capital. Metals are at the heart of Europe’s energy, digital and defence ambitions but those ambitions will only become industrial reality if Europe creates the right conditions for companies to invest and grow.
Public de-risking support is essential to encourage private investment in strategic CRM projects. Many strategic projects still struggle to secure financing or remain operational. European Metals has therefore called for a €10 billion fund to be set up in the proposed European Corporation on CRMs, financed under the next EU budget.
Looking beyond Europe, strong international partnerships will also be essential to building more resilient supply chains. Political agreements and cooperation frameworks are an important starting point, but their real impact will be measured by whether they translate into investment and more secure long-term supplies.
The focus now must be on investment, resilience, and delivery.
5 questions with Marie Deffet – Meet the Team
1. Your interest in metals actually started well before Brussels. Where did it all begin?
Believe it or not, my interest in metals goes all the way back to high school, when I wrote an essay on their geopolitical importance and use in the European green transition. I’m originally from Liège, Belgium but my academic path has always had a strong European and international focus.
I joined European Metals in September as a Policy Communication Trainee. I studied European Studies at Maastricht University and International Relations at the University of Amsterdam.
After an internship at the Belgian Embassy in Ottawa, I completed a Master of Advanced Studies in European Policies and Public Administration at KU Leuven, which ultimately led me to European Metals.
2. From a high-school essay to the Critical Raw Materials Act, what kept drawing you back to metals?
During my final year at KU Leuven, I was fortunate to be assigned a group research project on the Critical Raw Materials Act.
This project gave me the opportunity to explore the legislation in depth, examine the interaction between industry stakeholders and European policymakers, and gain a better understanding of the often misunderstood field of interest representation.
Joining European Metals was therefore a natural next step, allowing me to gain hands-on experience in both policy and communications while deepening my knowledge of the metals industry.
3. What aspects of your role have you found most interesting or rewarding so far?
After almost a month at European Metals, I can already say that I have learned a great deal. I greatly enjoy the challenge of making complex policy topics clear and engaging. Topics such as CBAM, the EU ETS or the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA)can become technical very quickly. One of the parts I enjoy most is first understanding that complexity and then asking: what is the key message here, and how can we make it clear and relevant?
4. Policy can be complex, and metals policy even more so. How do you turn that complexity into a story people actually want to read?
My background in international relations, as well as my broader academic experience, helps me approach policy communication with both analytical rigour and attention to detail. I believe that the same level of precision required to develop sound policies is also essential when communicating about them effectively.
My understanding of EU policymaking processes and policy frameworks, including the EU Taxonomy, also helps me navigate complex subjects. Finding that balance between being accurate and being accessible is probably one of the things I find most interesting about policy communication.
5. Where do you hope your curiosity for policy and communications will take you next?
I am still at a very early stage of my career and feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the European Metals team. For now, my focus is on learning as much as possible from this traineeship and making the most of the experience.
In the longer term, I hope to continue building a career in European policy and contribute to meaningful policy discussions. I am naturally curious and ambitious, qualities that I hope will continue to guide me throughout my professional journey.
9 October 2026 –POLITICO Brussels Playbook – European Metals President Inge Hofkens meets Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall
Member News
Metlenplans to invest nearly €25 million to expand recycled aluminium operations in Greece, equipping EPALME with automated sorting, processing and melting technologies and increasing total production to more than 250,000 tonnes once fully developed.
Trimetofficially opened a new recycling plant in Hamm on 1 October 2026, designed to process up to 40,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap per year and increase the use of recycled raw materials.
Erametconfirmed plans for a €500 million capital increase in Q4 2026, backed by its reference shareholders and a strategic investment from the French State, which is set to become the Group’s largest shareholder. The move aims to strengthen Eramet’s financial position and support its role in securing critical metals supply for France and Europe.
Aurubis is building an automated facility at its Hamburg site to pre-process metal-bearing intermediates, using sensor and X-ray technology to improve material separation, sampling and metal-content valuation.
Looking Ahead to European Metals Events in 2027
2027 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for European Metals.
We are looking forward to bringing our members and wider community together again for two key moments:
8 April 2027 – Gala Dinner: celebrating 70 years of European Metals in Brussels.
1 June 2027 – Annual Conference: bringing members, policymakers and stakeholders together to discuss the key priorities shaping our industry.
