EU to curb exports of recyclable battery, rare earth waste to cut China reliance

The European Commission plans to restrict exports of recyclable rare earth waste and battery scrap from early 2026 to reduce reliance on China. This is part of the REsourceEU plan to secure critical raw materials for electric cars, wind turbines, and semiconductors. The EU aims to develop its own supply chains and meet 20% of its permanent magnet needs through recycling. The plan includes a 3 billion euro investment to cut reliance on a single country by 50% by 2029 and the launch of a European Critical Raw Materials Centre in 2026.