The EU delegation will be led by the top EU official Mrs Kerstin Jorna, the European Commission’s Director General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, who will present the Critical Raw Materials Act and its aim of ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials for the EU and boosting investment opportunities in this sector.
As newly associated country to Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation, Canada and the EU can benefit from new opportunities for cooperation in R&I. These opportunities will be presented by Mrs Marina Zanchi, Director of the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA).
The EU presence and activities planned for the EU Day at PDAC 2024 focus on:
- Taking stock of the achievements of the Canada-EU Strategic Partnership on raw materials since 2021;
- Fostering investment opportunities in the exploration and mining sector and securing a sustainable supply of raw materials for industrial value chains;
- Stimulating EU innovative and cutting-edge technologies for exploration and mining in EU Member States;
- Promoting high environmental and social standards;
- Enhancing research and innovation cooperation opportunities.
Access to raw materials is a strategic goal for the EU, given its ambition for the twin green and digital transition. Ensuring the supply of sustainable raw materials, in particular of critical raw materials necessary for clean technologies, digital, space and defense applications, by diversifying supply from both primary and secondary sources, is therefore one of the prerequisites to make this transition happen.
In the morning, the EU Networking and Business Breakfast will be opened by the EU Ambassador to Canada, Dr Melita Gabrič, and will feature a short panel where top representatives of the public and the private sectors will reflect on the achievements of the Canada-EU Strategic Partnership on raw materials. Afterwards, speakers from European industrial alliances and numerous EU Member States will present investment opportunities in their countries.
The afternoon session, organized at the EU booth, aims to present the latest developments regarding innovative and cutting-edge technological solutions in the exploration, mining, processing and recycling sectors supported by the Horizon Europe programme.
A Cocktail Reception will close the EU Day at PDAC from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET
