Batteries are a key enabling technology for low emission mobility and for energy storage. Recent  forecasts  indicate  that the  demand  for  batteries  both in  the  EU  and  globally will grow exponentially in the next years. The Strategic Action Plan on Batteries is part of the 2018 Third Mobility package, which was adopted by the College on 17 May. 

In addition, the Commission services developed the Report on Raw Materials for Battery Applications which provides a snapshot on where EU stands on battery raw materials. It highlights the challenges and bottlenecks of securing the  supply  of  battery  raw  materials  but  more  important  it  identifies  large  gaps in  our knowledge at EU level. The report focuses on four essential raw materials for batteries production namely: cobalt, lithium, graphite, and nickel. It also identifies the need to improve our knowledge on battery raw materials. Data is not always easy to gather and sometimes reported under different standards, which makes their comparison and integration difficult.