Source: European Parliament
The EU-Rwanda memorandum of understanding (MoU)[1] is a tool to help the EU address illicit trafficking and to promote a sustainable and responsible sourcing and processing of raw materials.
The MoU was negotiated by the Commission on the basis of a mandate by the Council of the EU and is in line with the EU’s renewed Great Lakes Strategy[2].
The MoU has provided a platform to encourage Rwandan authorities to adhere to the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative[3]. Its cancelation would remove the basis for this engagement with Rwanda on improving transparency and traceability. The MoU and the Conflict Minerals Regulation[4] are coherent and have the potential to reinforce each other.
The main objective of the regulation is to ensure that EU importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten buy from responsible sources only, in line with the standards set by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development[5].
The EU has been financing the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals[6], an accompanying measure to the Conflict Minerals Regulation, while also aiming at improving mineral resources management.
The programme ‘Peace and Security for Stability in the Great Lakes region’[7], which supports the implementation of a regional certification mechanism, also aims at reducing mineral resources impact on conflict.
The Commission takes note of the call expressed by the European Parliament in its plenary resolution of 13 February 2025[8].
Following the Foreign Affairs Council meetings of 24 February and 17 March 2025, several measures have been taken, including the adoption of additional restrictive measures, the suspension of the EU security and defence consultations with Rwanda. The MoU regarding critical raw materials was put under review[9].
In line with the calls from African partners, the EU fully supports the mediation efforts aiming at ending the atrocities and finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
- [1] https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/58035.
- [2] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-6631-2023-INIT/en/pdf.
- [3] https://eiti.org/.
- [4] Regulation (EU) 2017/821, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32017R0821.
- [5] https://mneguidelines.oecd.org/an-international-standard-oecd-due-diligence-guidance-for-responsible-mineral-supply-chains.htm, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises-on-responsible-business-conduct_81f92357-en.html.
- [6] https://europeanpartnership-responsibleminerals.eu/.
- [7] Details of this programme are available at this link: https://mirego.bi/applications/views/UE.php.
- [8] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-10-2025-0020_EN.html.
- [9] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/fac/2025/02/24/.