During the first reporting period, the Critical Raw Materials Value Chains Facility (CRM-Facility) implemented all planned core activities and achieved the key deliverables and milestones foreseen for Year 1. The work performed focused on establishing the operational foundations of the Facility, generating high-quality intelligence on critical raw material (CRM) opportunities, identifying and analysing priority projects, and actively connecting partner-country stakeholders with European industry, finance and public institutions.
At the operational level, the project successfully set up its governance, coordination and communication structures. A dedicated project management framework, steering and monitoring mechanisms, a public website and a shared repository were established, ensuring effective coordination with the European Commission, EU Delegations and implementing partners. All deliverables and milestones scheduled for the reporting period were completed, confirming that the project is fully on track.
Substantive work was carried out under the thematic work packages (WP 2-5). Regional intelligence networks were established in Southern Africa and Central Asia, providing ongoing country-level insights on regulatory developments, project pipelines and stakeholder landscapes. Two strategic sector studies were completed, on CRM opportunities in Uzbekistan and on the battery value chain in South Africa, both of which directly informed follow-up engagement with EU institutions, partner governments and European industry. These studies moved beyond analysis by supporting concrete next steps, including targeted events and project discussions.
A major achievement of the period was the identification, assessment and shortlisting of a first pipeline of 13 + CRM projects across Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and Greenland. More than 13 projects were analysed using harmonised technical, financial and ESG-oriented criteria, resulting in a prioritised set of projects suitable for further European engagement. In parallel, a comprehensive mapping of European financial instruments and institutions was undertaken, strengthening the Facility’s ability to support a coordinated Team Europe approach to project de-risking.
The Facility also delivered strong results in stakeholder engagement and matchmaking. Ten dedicated B2B and investor-focused events, as well as multiple business missions and high-level mining fora, were organised or supported, bringing together project developers, European industrial players, financiers, export credit agencies, research institutions and policymakers. These activities increased the visibility of EU capabilities, advanced concrete project discussions, and generated actionable intelligence on financing gaps, offtake needs and policy bottlenecks.
