CRMA – the “Green-Deal-Paradox?”

Author: Ass. iur. Ivonne Arenz, Managing Director, Verband Bergbau, ­Geologie und Umwelt e.V. (VBGU), Berlin/Germany
DOI: 10.66356/mrg.2026.04.01.ENCTGDP

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The Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) represents the European Union’s key legislative framework for securing a resilient, sustainable and competitive supply of critical and strategic raw materials. Its objectives are to strengthen domestic extraction, processing and recycling capacities, diversify supply chains, accelerate permitting procedures for Strategic Projects, and reduce Europe’s strategic dependencies while maintaining high environmental standards. At the same time, the implementation of these objectives reveals a fundamental challenge: the transition towards climate neutrality requires substantially more critical raw materials, whereas regulatory and societal constraints often limit their domestic supply. This tension constitutes the Green-Deal-Paradox. The article is based on the author’s presentation at the “MiningForum 2026”, held in Berlin/Germany from 18th to 19th June 2026.