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The importance of rare earth elements (REEs) for the energy transition, for defence and for the emerging physical AI market is well-recognized, and global competition to secure reliable sourcing has intensified. The EU represents the largest and fastest growing market for rare earth magnets outside of China, the c.24,000mt in 2025 from EU Single Market, is three times the demand of US or Japan. Supply to the EU however is dominated (>90%) by China, which through sustained investment in installed capacities scale and technological
capabilities, has established a leading position in rare earth supply chains over past 25 years.
Recent market tensions have highlighted the need for more resilient local supply chains across all regions, including the European Union and we understand that in response, the EU will establish the European Critical Raw Materials Centre in 2026 to will act as a key hub for critical minerals in the EU, handling investment, stockpiling, and joint purchasing. Accordingly, to provide a perspective from some of the leading players in global rare earth value chains, REIA engaged its members in January 2026 to gather perspectives on these issues. These are summarised below, with further detail provided in an Appendix to the paper.
