The recently-released Defense Industrial Base study, which once more has underscored the need for a comprehensive overhaul of U.S. resource policy, directed its focus on U.S. competitiveness primarily vis-à-vis China.

Already vast and resource-rich, the country has demonstrated an insatiable appetite for the world’s mineral resources and has pursued an aggressive strategy to gain access to the materials needed to meet the world’s largest population’s resource needs.

As the U.S. inches forward to formulate a long-overdue critical mineral resource strategy, our European trading partners across the Atlantic not sitting idly by.

Acutely aware of European resource dependencies, policy makers look at the European Union’s resource policy through the prism of the EU’s 2050 low-carbon vision – with a clear emphasis on two themes: the circular economy and battery technology.

To kick off the work week, here’s a video clip featuring Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission for energy policy, outlining these tenets of EU resource policy:

Thanks to @MarosSefcovic for his opening words at our #CircularCO2 conference! #Recycling, #decarbonisation & also #batteries – All must work together to secure Europe’s access to #rawmaterials. Watch below! pic.twitter.com/tia2uXETEh

— EU Metals (@Eurometaux) October 18, 2018