ECGA position paper on the European Commission’s RESourceEU initiative welcomes the EU’s efforts to strengthen Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy in critical raw materials. The paper highlights the need for complementary measures to de-risk investments in mining, refining, and processing; ensure a predictable and proportionate legislative framework; and secure a genuine level playing field in global trade. ECGA underlines that both natural and synthetic graphite are vital to Europe’s green transition and calls for policies that recognise their strategic importance, enable indirect CO₂ cost compensation, and design strategic stocks reflecting graphite’s specialised grades.

ECGA welcomes three new associate members, expanding our network of innovators in the carbon and graphite value chain. The additions include companies from Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic, bringing expertise in Few Layer Graphene production, HF-based graphite purification, and European natural graphite resource development. Their work reinforces ECGA’s commitment to innovation, circularity, and strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical raw materials.

ECGA position paper on energy security emphasises the need for reliable, affordable, and low-carbon electricity as a cornerstone of Europe’s clean industrial transition. Graphite producers supply critical materials for steel decarbonisation, batteries, and renewable technologies, yet face long grid connection delays and persistently high energy costs. The paper welcomes the European Commission’s Energy Security Framework and related initiatives as important steps towards industrial resilience, while calling for accelerated permitting, stable tariffs, and stronger recognition of industrial consumers as strategic partners in energy planning.