Critical Raw Materials Act
In response, the EU adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), setting ambitious 2030 benchmarks to extract 10% of annual CRM consumption within the EU, process 40% domestically and recycle 25% of demand. These goals align with the concerns more recently raised in the Draghi report and by industry leaders such as Peter Wennink, who have warned that Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty are at risk without reliable access to critical inputs. For the Netherlands, which is an open, high-tech economy with limited domestic resources, the urgency is even greater.
Invest International’s CRM strategy
In 2025, we announced our plans to launch a dedicated CRM Financing Initiative. A multidisciplinary CRM team has been established to develop and implement a long-term CRM investment strategy consisting of internal employees and experts from NMO (TNO’s Netherlands Materials Observatory) and Benjamin Sprecher, Assistant Professor at TU Delft. The strategy aims to combine capital, technical expertise and international partnerships to strengthen supply chains across the value chain, from mining (excluding exploration) and processing to recycling, substitution and strategic stockpiling. All investments seek to align with EU priorities and meet relevant environmental, social and governance standards.
The CRM Financing Initiative will enable Invest International to provide capital support to projects across the whole vertical chain in Europe, and for which a link with Europe can be established.
Andor Lips, CRM expert at the Netherlands Materials Observatory:
“The key concern in this entire debate is addressing criticality. Europe produces only a fraction of the materials it needs and depends heavily on global supply chains we cannot fully control. Strengthening resilience means selective investing across the full value chain—from mining to recycling and substitution—while building trusted international partnerships.”
“Securing access to CRM requires selective investing across the full value chain—from mining to recycling and substitution—while building trusted international partnerships.”
CRM Collaboration
Collaboration is at the heart of the Dutch approach. We work closely with a national ecosystem that includes Atradius Dutch State Business, the Port of Rotterdam, TNO, Invest-NL and the Dutch ministries of Economic Affairs and of Foreign Affairs. Together, these partners align Dutch initiatives with European with European policy and contribute to the benchmarks of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA).
Magchiel Groot, Senior Advisor for CRM at Invest International:
“Autonomy, resilience and competitiveness can only be achieved together. We see ourselves as part of a broader Dutch and European effort to strengthen supply chains, connect partners and invest where it matters most for our future industrial position.”
Securing access to CRM
CRM will remain a strategic priority for Invest International. The CRM Financing Initiative will be rolled out further in 2026, with a growing pipeline of projects that combine commercial viability with strategic impact. By mobilising capital, expertise and partnerships, we are helping to reduce Europe’s dependencies, strengthen its industrial base and contribute to ensuring that Dutch companies can continue to innovate and compete globally. In an increasingly competitive and uncertain world, securing access to CRM is no longer just an industrial concern, but a cornerstone of economic security and sustainable growth.
