Strategic Raw Materials for the Czech Republic | Opportunities and Challenges for Decarbonization, Competitiveness, and Circularity in Czech Industry
Strategic raw materials, such as steel, aluminum, and critical raw materials (CRMs), are playing an increasingly important role in European industrial and security strategies. They are becoming increasingly important not only in the field of clean technologies but also in terms of the defense industry and the construction of energy infrastructure. The project aims to identify opportunities and obstacles for the decarbonization of the Czech steel industry and critical raw materials sectors, with an emphasis on circular solutions.
1. November 2026
Clean technologies, such as renewable energy sources and energy storage, rely on secure access to critical raw materials, making their supply chains crucial not only for decarbonization but also for a country’s energy sovereignty. Steel, aluminum, and other metals are also key inputs for the defense industry and the construction of energy infrastructure. In the current international security context, ensuring stable and circular material flows is essential for protecting European infrastructure, strengthening defense capabilities, and bolstering economic resilience.
The aim of the project is to map the strategic raw materials sectors in the Czech Republic, with a focus on steel, aluminum, key critical raw materials, and their circular use. The project will examine the availability of strategic raw materials and their potential for supporting the production of clean technologies and the defense industry. The research component of the project will focus on the technical, financial, and regulatory challenges facing strategic raw materials sectors, how well these challenges are being addressed, and what shortcomings prevent these barriers from being overcome.
The goal is to identify opportunities and obstacles to the decarbonization of the steel industry and critical raw materials sectors, maintaining their competitiveness, and reducing dependence on imports through circular solutions with an emphasis on the reuse of materials, e.g., from decommissioned renewable energy infrastructure, with the aim of ensuring sustainable growth and long-term resilience of these strategic sectors.
This project builds on previous activities of the EUROPEUM Institute, particularly the projects “Low-Emission Materials for the Czech Automotive Industry” and “Circularity and the Life Cycle of Batteries and Structural Materials in the Automotive Industry as an Opportunity for the Czech Republic.”
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