Policy Paper: Start slow to go fast? : Unlocking EU-Central Asia cooperation on critical materials

Geopolitics has fundamentally reshaped the global acquisition of critical raw materials (CRMs), creating a landscape marked by strategic competition and supply chain disruptions. With the rising significance of critical raw materials, Central Asia has become a hotspot. The region’s endowment with minerals has attracted significant interest from China, Europe, the United States, Turkey and the Gulf states. At the same time, the region itself is enhancing its domestic extraction and plans to develop a value-added critical materials manufacturing infrastructure. Roman Vakulchuk, head of the Research Group for Climate and Energy at NUPI has outlined his policy recommendations on how the EU can foster this cooperation, based on policy instruments comparison and interviews conducted in the region. Access the policy paper "Unlocking EU–Central Asia Cooperation on Critical Raw Materials: Start Slow to Go Fast?" for more details.