During the official launch of the Netherlands Materials Observatory, the Special Representative Raw Materials Strategy – Allard Castelein – received the National Innovation Agenda Critical Raw Materials from Figurehead Top Sector ChemistryNL and Circular Critical Raw Materials consortium – Jacqueline Vaessen. The agenda presents a national approach to innovation in the field of critical raw materials, with the aim of making the Netherlands more independent through innovation and the development of its own processing capacity.
Broad coalition
The innovation agenda, to which a broad coalition of companies and knowledge institutions contributed, emphasizes the urgency of developing a circular economy for critical raw materials, which are essential for the technological and industrial progress of the Netherlands. By investing in innovative technologies and setting up domestic processing facilities, the Netherlands can reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers and at the same time contribute to sustainable economic growth in the Netherlands and in Europe.
Leading role
Jacqueline Vaessen:
It is crucial that the Netherlands takes steps to strengthen its position in the global raw materials market. This report provides a roadmap and overview of innovative projects to achieve this through collaboration between government, industry and research institutions. It is important that the Netherlands now shows courage.
Allard Kastelein praised the report and emphasized the importance of a joint effort to put the proposed agenda into practice. "The recommendations in this agenda are of great importance for the future of our economy and for the strategic autonomy of the Netherlands and Europe. We must take action now to ensure that the Netherlands plays a leading role in the circular economy of critical raw materials and can contribute to the European ambitions in this area," says Kastelein.
Innovation and scaling up
One of the goals of the innovation agenda is to call on the government to support the necessary innovation and scaling up for the recovery and processing of critical raw materials with policy and financing. It is essential to make the innovation projects and demonstrators inventoried in the agenda possible by creating space in new and existing regulations in the Netherlands and in Europe.
About the National Innovation Agenda Critical Raw Materials
The National Innovation Agenda Critical Raw Materials of the Circular Critical Raw Materials (CCRM) partnership was initiated by ChemistryNL (Top Sector Chemistry) and the MaterialenNL Platform in collaboration with a large consortium of companies and knowledge institutions. The development of the innovation agenda was in the hands of a core team consisting of representatives from Nyrstar, Nobian, Shell, M2i, TNO, Leiden University, University of Amsterdam, TU Delft, VNCI and Invest-NL.
