Two-Pager: Securing Critical Materials for Critical Sectors

Disclaimer: This two-pager has been prepared by the CKN Secretariat and should not be considered the work of the individuals listed as authors of the report.

Key Takeaways

• Both the Netherlands and the European Union are highly dependent on a secure supply of critical raw materials and manufactured goods. Problematic given the fact that other countries, in particular China, control large market shares in these sectors.
• The energy-, transport- and digital technologies-sectors, and more specifically, wind turbines, photovoltaic solar power, geothermal, energy grid infrastructure, carbon capture & storage, electric vehicles and semiconductors, are all highly dependent on China, not only in terms of technology, but also in terms of components and raw materials. 
• In the Netherlands and other Western countries, the industry has been securing critical supplies independently from governments, whereas China’s long-term strategy deeply involves the government in industrial extraction and production of raw materials.