The European Union is intensifying efforts to secure critical mineral raw materials, with the European Commission announcing a new call for strategic projects by the end of 2026. Under the European Critical Raw Materials Act, strategic projects benefit from streamlined and more predictable permitting procedures, with timeframes of up to 27 months for extraction projects and up to 15 months for processing and recycling projects.
These European initiatives demonstrate that critical minerals are becoming increasingly significant for industry, the energy transition, and Europe’s economic competitiveness.
In this context, the “Health as well as Jobs” initiative argues that a serious, evidence-based, and responsible debate regarding the potential of domestic mineral resources, including the Ilovica–Shtuka project, is also necessary in Macedonia.
“Europe recognizes the importance of critical minerals and is taking concrete steps to develop its own capacities. Macedonia should carefully examine the opportunities available to it, based on expert analyses, legal procedures, and clear criteria for environmental protection and the health of its citizens. Development and responsibility should not be viewed as mutually exclusive goals,” the initiative said Saturday.