The European Union and United States signed an agreement Friday to secure critical mineral supply chains for defence and key industries.
The deal responds to growing concerns over China’s dominance in minerals essential for semiconductors, electric vehicles and weapons systems.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that overreliance on a few suppliers poses an “unacceptable risk” to economic security.
EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said the pact covers the full supply chain, from extraction to recycling, to reduce dependencies.
The agreement includes plans to coordinate pricing, subsidies and stockpiles, and strengthen cooperation on trade standards and investment.
