A Silver Lining or Wishful Thinking? Central Asia in the EU's Critical Raw Materials Strategy
A Silver Lining or Wishful Thinking? Central Asia in the EU's Critical Raw Materials Strategy

Summary/Abstract: This paper explores the potential of Central Asia as a critical supplier of critical raw materials (CRMs) for the European Union (EU) in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, examining the EU's neighbourhood policies and energy security from a geopolitical perspective. Following the EU's decision to de-risk from China, reducing dependency on Chinese CRMs has become a key policy priority. To achieve this objective, the EU has sought to strategically engage with neighbouring countries, including those in Central Asia, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which possess significant CRM reserves. Despite the EU's increasingly proactive and accelerated efforts, fully unlocking the region's potential remains highly challenging. In addition to substantial investments in infrastructure and the transfer of technological expertise, the EU must carefully balance the interests of Central Asian countries, the world's major powers, and its own Member States.

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