The EU goes to the PDAC convention

The booth (7123N) will host European Commission representatives, projects from H2020 (the EU research programme for research and innovation), EU countries, small and medium-sized enterprises and EU geological surveys.

More information and registration for the business and networking breakfast and the research and innovation (R&I) technology workshop can be found below.

The EU is attending the annual PDAC convention from 2018 to 2022 as part of its efforts to secure a sustainable supply of raw materials with the support of the ‘partnership instrument’ that funds global EU cooperation. 

The EU aims to contribute to a secure, sustainable and responsible raw materials supply (from EU and non-EU countries) for EU industrial value chains. At the same time we wish to promote EU mining technologies and services, as well as responsible and sustainable mining.

Background

The shift to the climate-neutral economy will increase the global demand for non-energy raw materials more than ever. This demand exceeds what recycling can offer and we need to secure a primary supply from both EU and non-EU countries. Given the growing strategic importance of raw materials for the EU manufacturing industry, the Commission is taking actions under the EU raw materials initiative (RMI) for a secure, sustainable, responsible and affordable supply.

Raw materials, in particular scarce critical raw materials, keep European industrial value chains competitive for sectors such as automotive, machinery, electrical engineering, ICT, and defence. Raw materials' availability is a prerequisite for the transition to a climate-neutral economy with e-mobility and renewable energy. We are currently preparing an updated assessment of critical raw materials for the EU and will publish it this year.

More information

• Business and networking breakfast - EU for a sustainable future: Opportunities in the EU's exploration and mining sectors
• R&I workshop - Open to the World: The EU’s Horizon program for research and innovation
• EU raw materials initiative (RMI) 
• Critical raw materials