Source: European Parliament
The Commission registered China’s apparent refusal to issue export licenses for the export of artificial graphite to Sweden as an official trade barrier in 2023 following an internal investigation.
The Commission has thereafter been in close contact with Sweden and has raised the issue with China on multiple occasions, during both bilateral contacts with China and at the World Trade Organisation.
On these occasions, the Commission has also expressed its deep concern regarding the overall increase in Chinese licensing requirements targeting critical raw materials in recent years, and the negative effects these measures have on the perception of China as a reliable trading partner.
To ensure secure, resilient and sustainable supply of strategic raw materials, the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA)[1] sets out benchmarks for extraction, processing, recycling and diversification and introduces measures to achieve these.
Regarding the long-term availability of graphite, designated as a strategic raw material under the CRMA, the Commission inter alia maps with Member States the projects in the EU; calls for strategic projects; develops and implements strategic partnerships on raw materials; invests in innovative raw material production projects under Horizon Europe[2]; and concludes EU bilateral trade agreements for fair and unrestricted trade in raw materials.
Further improvements on recycling can equally increase the availability of critical raw materials. The first list of strategic projects was published on 25 March 2025[3]. three of them are located in Sweden, and two concern graphite.
Regarding overall availability of raw materials, the Geological Surveys of Europe provide a detailed overview of minerals deposits in the EU[4].
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj/eng
- [2] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
- [3] https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials/strategic-projects-under-crma_en
- [4] https://maps.europe-geology.eu/