ERMA is an open and inclusive alliance that provides an open and independent forum for discussion and analysis, as well as a mechanism for translating potential projects into actual activities and infrastructures that will contribute to creating long-lasting added value and jobs for Europe.
ERMA will identify barriers, opportunities and investment cases to build capacity at all stages of the raw materials value chain, from mining to waste recovery. It complies with EU competition rules and EU international trade commitments.
ERMA’s activities will be carried out across ‘clusters’ defined around specific value chains. The first cluster deals with the most critical value chain for many EU industrial ecosystems – rare earth element (REE) magnets and motors. The second cluster will consider raw and advanced materials for energy storage and conversion in stationary and non-stationary applications. Additional clusters will be defined later.
The underlying conditions for all the clusters are sustainability (social, economic and environmental, in line with UN Sustainability Development Goals), digitalisation (in line with EU’s Digital Strategy) and circularity (following the EU Circular Economy Action Plan). The clusters’ work will contribute to capacity building and to the goals of the EU Just Transition fund through education, training, research and innovation across the wider society.
The deliverables will be achieved through two major workstreams:
- Value chain-specific consultation processes:
- Identify and respond to raw material challenges along industrial ecosystems and within the wider society
- Provide tailored solutions to industry needs
- Unlock regulatory bottlenecks
- Promote stakeholders’ strong engagement and commitment through an open process
- Investment channel for raw materials projects:
- Select and prioritize cases to secure primary and secondary raw materials supply for European industrial ecosystems
- Install Raw Materials Investment Platform (RMIP) to bring investors and investees together
- Define case-specific financing strategies and mechanisms
- Assess EU funding opportunities and financing sources for investment opportunities inside and outside Europe
Both workstreams will be implemented through clusters dedicated to the specific value chains. The first two clusters will focus on Rare Earth Magnets & Motors and Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion.
