The European Union is seeking to secure supplies of rare earths and related materials for its industries by establishing a new communication channel with Chinese authorities. According to EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, this mechanism is intended to expedite the export licensing process that has been required since April.
At the same time, the EU is working toward an agreement on so-called general licenses, which would allow companies to export materials repeatedly without needing to apply for individual permits for each shipment.
The initiative draws inspiration from a similar measure unilaterally announced by the United States, which is designed to benefit U.S. end-users and their suppliers. However, China has yet to confirm whether it will approve the U.S. framework or reverse the export controls on rare earths introduced in April. Those controls were part of China’s response to U.S. tariffs announced the same month, but they have since raised concerns about supply shortages across global industries.
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