EMRIE

The secure and sustainable supply of raw materials is a critical challenge for Europe’s green and digital transitions. In response, the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) sets ambitious targets.

By 2030:

• at least 10% of the EU’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials should be sourced through domestic extraction,
• at least 25% through recycling. Meeting these targets requires significant policy reform — especially at the regional level, where most mineral resources are located.

The EMRIE project (European Mining Regions Innovation Ecosystems) brings together regions rich in critical and strategic raw materials to lead this transformation. These partner regions play a central role in implementing the CRMA by upgrading their land-use, innovation, and environmental policies in line with circular economy and resource efficiency principles.

EMRIE supports this process by improving regional policy instruments. It helps regions:

• Reduce dependency on imported raw materials;

• Promote the sustainable use and reuse of natural resources;

• Integrate circular economy approaches into mining and land-use planning;

• Turn mining waste into economic value.

Through a shared learning journey, EMRIE strengthens regional governance, fosters cross-border collaboration, and builds the capacity of local ecosystems. By putting responsible resource management and inclusive stakeholder engagement at the centre of its approach, EMRIE empowers regions to deliver greener, more resilient, and innovation-driven development.