The List of Critical Raw Materials included coking coal for the fourth time, maintaining its status as a critical raw material for the European economy. This confirms the importance of coking coal as an indispensable raw material for the European steel industry. Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa is its largest European producer.

The European Commission has been publishing the List of Critical Raw Materials (CRM) for the EU since 2011. Coking coal was listed in the list in 2014 and has since maintained its status as a critical raw material for European industry. The List of Critical Raw Materials is to be updated once every 4 years, while the draft Regulation will now be subject to the work of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

The critical raw materials package published today aims to ensure access to the raw materials needed for the digital and green transition and reduce the risk of supply from third countries. The raw materials included in the list are used in the production of batteries, electric vehicles, semiconductors, wind turbines, solar panels, among others, and demand for them is projected to increase several-fold in the coming decades. With the current dependence on their imports from third countries, the EU wants to increase local production capacity by making it easier for strategic projects to obtain mining permits and raise financing. Through the proposed regulations, the Commission also wants to strengthen the legal framework for circular economy and recycling of key raw materials.