EU Critical Raw Materials List: The 34 Materials
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The EU critical raw materials list has 34 entries, set out in Annex II, Section 1 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1252. It runs from antimony and arsenic to tungsten and vanadium, and it includes all 17 strategic raw materials. The list is reviewed by 24 May 2027 and at least every three years after that.
1 and 2.8
minimum supply risk and economic importance scores for a material to qualify on its own merits
Source: Article 4(2)
Which raw materials are on the EU critical list?
The table reproduces Annex II in the order of the regulation and shows which entries are also strategic. Where this site has a profile for the material, the name links to it.
| No. | Material | Also strategic (Annex I)? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antimony | No |
| 2 | Arsenic | No |
| 3 | Bauxite/alumina/aluminium | Yes |
| 4 | Baryte | No |
| 5 | Beryllium | No |
| 6 | Bismuth | Yes |
| 7 | Boron | Yes (metallurgy grade) |
| 8 | Cobalt | Yes |
| 9 | Coking coal | No |
| 10 | Copper | Yes |
| 11 | Feldspar | No |
| 12 | Fluorspar | No |
| 13 | Gallium | Yes |
| 14 | Germanium | Yes |
| 15 | Hafnium | No |
| 16 | Helium | No |
| 17 | Heavy rare earth elements | In part (terbium, dysprosium and gadolinium for magnets) |
| 18 | Light rare earth elements | In part (neodymium, praseodymium, samarium and cerium for magnets) |
| 19 | Lithium | Yes (battery grade) |
| 20 | Magnesium | Yes (metal) |
| 21 | Manganese | Yes (battery grade) |
| 22 | Graphite | Yes (battery grade) |
| 23 | Nickel (battery grade) | Yes (battery grade) |
| 24 | Niobium | No |
| 25 | Phosphate rock | No |
| 26 | Phosphorus | No |
| 27 | Platinum group metals | Yes |
| 28 | Scandium | No |
| 29 | Silicon metal | Yes |
| 30 | Strontium | No |
| 31 | Tantalum | No |
| 32 | Titanium metal | Yes |
| 33 | Tungsten | Yes |
| 34 | Vanadium | No |
Source: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Annexes I and II. Annex I lists rare earths for permanent magnets as neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium and cerium, which is why the two rare earth entries are marked "in part".
How does a material get onto the list?
A material gets onto the EU critical list if it is strategic or if it scores at least 1 for supply risk and at least 2.8 for economic importance, calculated under Annex II, Section 2. The same article says the updated list must include every strategic raw material. Economic importance depends on how much of a material each economic sector uses and how easily it can be substituted. Supply risk depends on how concentrated production is, how well governed the supplying countries are, trade restrictions, import reliance, recycling and substitutability. Both scores use the average of the most recent five years of data.
How has the EU list changed since 2011?
The EU list has grown from 14 materials in 2011 to 34 in the 2023 assessment, with a new assessment roughly every three years. The 2023 study screened 87 raw materials and its results fed into the Critical Raw Materials Act, which put the list into law in May 2024.
| Assessment | Critical materials | Notable changes |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 14 | First list, drawn from 41 candidate materials |
| 2014 | 20 | Eight additional materials classified as critical, from 54 candidates |
| 2017 | 27 | Added baryte, borate, vanadium, bismuth, hafnium, helium, natural rubber, phosphate rock, phosphorus and silicon metal |
| 2020 | 30 | Bauxite, lithium, titanium and strontium added for the first time; helium dropped |
| 2023 | 34 | Basis for Annex II; 17 of the 34 also designated strategic |
Sources: Joint Research Centre raw materials information system, IEA policy database on the 2020 list and European Commission.
What happens next?
The next review of the critical list is due by 24 May 2027. At the first update of the strategic list the Commission must also assess whether synthetic graphite should stay on it, which is relevant because Annex I currently names battery-grade graphite. The details of the update process are on the review cycle page, and the EU entries can be compared with the US, Australian and Canadian lists on the comparison page.
Frequently asked questions
How many critical raw materials does the EU have?
The EU has 34 critical raw materials, listed in Annex II, Section 1 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1252. Seventeen of them are also classed as strategic raw materials in Annex I.
What is the difference between EU critical and strategic raw materials?
Critical raw materials in the EU are those with high economic importance and high supply risk, while strategic raw materials are those most needed for the green and digital transitions, defense and aerospace. Every strategic raw material is also critical, and only the strategic ones count towards the 2030 benchmarks.
When is the EU critical raw materials list updated?
The EU critical raw materials list is updated by the Commission by 24 May 2027 and at least every three years after that. The Commission can also change the list by delegated act at other times.
Is copper on the EU critical raw materials list?
Copper is on the EU critical raw materials list and on the strategic list. It is entry (j) in Annex II and a strategic raw material in Annex I.
Sources
Read on October 12, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Official Journal L, 3 May 2024. Annex I, Annex II and Articles 3 and 4 read in full
- European Commission: Critical raw materials
- Joint Research Centre: EU critical raw materials
- IEA policy database: The 2020 EU critical raw materials list
Related topics
EU Critical Raw Materials Act
2030 benchmarks, strategic projects and the wider act.
EU Strategic Raw Materials
The 17 entries in Annex I and why they were chosen.
Compare the Lists
EU, US, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Review Cycle and Updates
How and when the Commission changes the lists.
