As Europe accelerates its transition towards a green and digital economy, the demand for Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) such as lithium, nickel, rare earth elements and cobalt is skyrocketing. The European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) aims to ensure stable and resilient supply chains for these materials by setting benchmarks for 2030. A key pillar of this initiative is enhancing domestic CRM production through extraction, processing, and recycling.
Effective decision-making and policy formulation are crucial to safeguard these supply chains and achieve sustainability goals. The United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC), developed by UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), plays a pivotal role by providing a standardized framework to classify raw material projects based on environmental, socio-economic factors, technical maturity, and confidence in product estimates.
In support of implementing UNFC in Southeast Europe, UNECE collaborated with the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia, the Geological Survey of Serbia, DG GROW of the European Commission, and the Horizon Europe Project “Geological Service for Europe (GSEU)” to organize a workshop in Belgrade. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia gathered to gain insights into the European raw materials landscape and the application of UNFC.
The workshop highlighted the importance of informed decision-making and policy formulation in securing resilient CRM supply chains. Detailed presentations on UNFC National Guidance documents and National Raw Materials Inventories provided practical insights into implementing UNFC and integrating it into national systems. Discussions also focused on harmonizing and mapping National and International Reporting Systems to UNFC standards to ensure data consistency and comparability across borders.
The workshop concluded with several key recommendations for successfully implementing UNFC in Southeast Europe, aiming to align the region with EU standards to promote environmental sustainability and economic growth.
UNECE remains committed to supporting sustainable resource management and advancing carbon neutrality in the UNECE region and globally.
