US and EU Strengthen Critical Minerals Cooperation
The United States and the European Union are strengthening cooperation on critical minerals, which are essential for modern industry and defense. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed a memorandum to improve coordination in extraction, processing and supply security.
Although China was not directly named, the initiative is widely seen as a response to its dominance in global supply chains.
As part of the plan, the Office of the United States Trade Representative is considering coordinated trade measures, including possible minimum prices and support for domestic industries.
At the same time, the US and the EU are also exploring broader multilateral cooperation with other partners.
The aim is to reduce dependence on a limited number of suppliers and strengthen economic resilience against shortages or political pressure. Officials said the main challenge now is to turn political agreements into concrete projects with real impact.