Lubin, 30 June 2023

ZPPM / 21S / VI / 2023

European Commission
Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
DG GROW – Unit I.1. – Energy Intensive Industries, Raw Materials, Hydrogen
Avenue d’Auderghem 45 / Oudergemselaan 45 / 1040
1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
Belgium

Commission adoption – Proposal for a regulation: Ref. Ares(2022)6746256 – 30/09/2022

Title of the Initiative: European Critical Raw Materials Act – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 – COM(2023) 160 final

Stanowisko Związku Pracodawców Polska Miedź w sprawie konsultacji dot. Europejskiego aktu w sprawie surowców krytycznych – wniosek w sprawie rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady ustanawiające ramy na potrzeby zapewnienia bezpiecznych i zrównoważonych dostaw surowców krytycznych oraz zmieniające rozporządzenia (UE) nr 168/2013, (UE) 2018/858, (UE) 2018/1724 i (UE) 2019/1020.

The Polish Copper Employers’ Association position paper on European Critical Raw Materials Act – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 – COM(2023) 160 final

 Przyjęcie przez Komisję – Europejski akt w sprawie surowców krytycznych – wniosek dotyczący rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady ustanawiające ramy na potrzeby zapewnienia bezpiecznych i zrównoważonych dostaw surowców krytycznych oraz zmieniające rozporządzenia (UE) nr 168/2013, (UE) 2018/858, (UE) 2018/1724 i (UE) 2019/1020 – COM(2023) 160 final

 Proposal for a regulation – Commission adoption – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 – COM(2023) 160 final

The Polish Copper Employers’ Association, acting on behalf of its member entities, declares its readiness to join the work on proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 – COM(2023) 160 final.

The Polish Copper Employers’ Association (former Employers’ Organization of Polish Copper) (Związek Pracodawców Polska Miedź) was established in 1996. We are the biggest, independent and not-for-profit regional employers’ organization whose goal is to represent and protect employers’ interests. We welcome a European Green Deal to put Europe on the right track to a sustainable future and is prepared to take the necessary measures to make it the world’s first climate neutral continent.

As the representative of the Polish metals mining, processing and smelting industry, we welcome the Commission’s initiative for raw materials. Raw materials are found at the beginning of all industrial value chains. The focus of this Regulation is on non-energy, non-agricultural raw materials that are important for the EU economy, the supplies of which are subject to a high level of supply risk. These critical raw materials (CRMs) are often indispensable inputs for a wide set of strategic sectors including renewable energy, the digital industry, the space and defence sectors and the health sector. At the same time, extraction and processing of CRMs can have negative environmental impacts, depending on the methods and processes used, as well as social impacts.

This proposal is consistent with the European Green Deal strategy and the European Climate Law. This proposal is intended to help equip the EU with the capacities that will be needed to meet its targets for producing renewable energy, for developing strategic manufacturing technologies such as semiconductors and to reach our climate neutrality objectives.

We are writing to express the support for the EU’s planned Critical Raw Materials Act. We request European Commission of ambitious and urgent actions to secure the metals and minerals needed for the EU’s green and digital transition.

We strongly endorse the EU to set firm 2030 headline goals for increasing its own production of strategic raw materials, at all stages of the value chain (extraction, refining, and recycling). However, the Critical Raw Materials Act must also strengthen conditions for exploration activities in Europe, secure diversified global supply sources, and advance the circular economy.

Yours Faithfully,

The Polish Copper Employers’ Association

The position was prepared on the basis of expert opinions from member entities and own studies of The Polish Copper Employers’ Association as well as Euromines expertise