Europe-Africa: Building strategic partnerships under the European Critical Raw Materials Act

📍European Parliament (MEP Salon)

🗓️ September 8, 2026

⏰ 08:00 – 09:30

The European Union's competitiveness, digital transition, clean industrial transformation and defence capabilities increasingly depend on secure and resilient access to critical raw materials.

To address growing geopolitical risks and excessive dependence on a limited number of suppliers, the European Union adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) in 2024. The Act establishes the first comprehensive European framework to strengthen domestic extraction, processing and recycling capacities while diversifying international supply chains through strategic partnerships with trusted third countries. 

The CRMA recognises that Europe cannot achieve its objectives through domestic production alone. International partnerships will therefore play a central role in securing resilient, sustainable and diversified value chains.

The implementation of the CRMA raises an important question: how can resource-rich partner countries position themselves to become strategic partners in Europe's critical raw materials agenda? This question is particularly relevant for the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

The breakfast aims to bring together European policymakers, ambassadors, industry representatives and experts to discuss the external dimension of the Critical Raw Materials Act and the next phase of its implementation. It will explore how international partnerships can strengthen Europe's critical raw materials strategy, identify opportunities for Portuguese-speaking countries to contribute to resilient and sustainable value chains, and foster dialogue between European institutions, partner countries and the private sector on future Strategic Projects.

🔗Register to the event here! 

Organised by the Belgian-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (CCBP) and supported by Comunidades Portuguesas/Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros