EU and Ukraine launch battery raw materials and investments partnership
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Ukraine's PM Denys Shmyhal (left) and European Commission VP Maroš Šefčovič. Photo: Government of Ukraine
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The European Union and Ukraine today agreed terms of a partnership covering raw materials for batteries and the development of energy storage and renewable power generation.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Ukraine’s ecology ministry will become the newest member of the European Raw Materials Alliance and the European Battery Alliance – and Ukraine is set to align its mining regulations with EU environmental, social and governance standards.
Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said with EU support in modernising the country’s mining sector, his government would work to improve laws to attract new investors to help develop the country’s "significant potential” to supply raw materials.
European Commission VP, Maroš Šefčovič, said: "Batteries, for their part, are a holy grail of electric mobility and renewable energy storage.”
'Sustainable supply'
"As we move towards climate-neutral and digital societies, many key sectors – such as renewables, electronics, transport, aerospace and defence – will depend on a reliable and sustainable supply of raw materials at competitive costs.”
Šefčovič said the EU would encourage "greater involvement” by the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in supporting projects related to the new partnership.
And Šefčovič said joint EU-Ukraine projects would be able to apply for funding under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Ukraine’s ecology ministry will become the newest member of the European Raw Materials Alliance and the European Battery Alliance – and Ukraine is set to align its mining regulations with EU environmental, social and governance standards.
Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said with EU support in modernising the country’s mining sector, his government would work to improve laws to attract new investors to help develop the country’s "significant potential” to supply raw materials.
European Commission VP, Maroš Šefčovič, said: "Batteries, for their part, are a holy grail of electric mobility and renewable energy storage.”
'Sustainable supply'
"As we move towards climate-neutral and digital societies, many key sectors – such as renewables, electronics, transport, aerospace and defence – will depend on a reliable and sustainable supply of raw materials at competitive costs.”
Šefčovič said the EU would encourage "greater involvement” by the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in supporting projects related to the new partnership.
And Šefčovič said joint EU-Ukraine projects would be able to apply for funding under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.
Earlier this year, the EU allocated a financial shot in the arm of €900m (£773m) for Horizon Europe, to support projects that expand the EU’s electric vehicle battery manufacturing and technological development base.
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