EU, China created special channel to ensure rare earth supplies

6/11/2025 7:20

The European Union has established a "special channel" of communication with Chinese authorities to secure the flow of rare earth materials vital for EU industries, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Wednesday.



The move follows China’s export controls on rare earths, which raised concerns in Europe after their introduction earlier this year about potential disruptions to the production of electric vehicles, wind turbines and other technologies that depend on permanent magnets.



A series of deals with Europe and the U.S. later eased the supply crunch, while the European Union, the U.S. and others are also racing to build alternatives to the Chinese rare earth supply chain.



Sefcovic said he had discussed the issue directly with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao several times, stressing that poorly managed export procedures could have a "very negative impact on production and manufacturing in the EU".