BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Germany, France and Italy want to work more closely together in the procurement of critical raw materials. The Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and his counterparts Bruno Le Maire and Adolfo Urso agreed on Monday in Berlin.
With a view to the ongoing negotiations at European level on the subject, the ministers, following a joint declaration, advocated, among other things, agreeing on extraction, processing and recycling targets for strategic raw materials. In addition, reuse and recycling should be strengthened, but ambitious environmental and social standards should also be set.
“Better diversification of our raw material supply is economic security. Closer raw material cooperation is economic security,” said Habeck. According to Le Maire, joint stocking and joint purchasing should be discussed. Urso stressed: “Italy, Germany and France make up a significant part of the Union’s economy and share value chains in many sectors.” He said in a press conference that one does not want to become dependent on China for critical raw materials. Further meetings are planned in Rome on digital technologies and in Paris on green technologies./hrz/DP/nas