"Investigation shows mining projects – vetoed by experts – somehow ‘win’ ‘strategic importance’ classification anyway" 24 September 2026

'The investigation – published four days ago by German outlet Table.Briefings – is based on confidential internal European Commission documents. In other words, documents that, normally, outside parties would not be seeing. But in this case they were ‘leaked’.

These documents show that 11 projects absent from a preliminary list, dated February 20, 2025, in the selection process for ‘strategic projects’ under the European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), suddenly ‘appeared’ in ‘the final list presented a month later.

These 11 projects were given ‘unfavourable assessments during an initial technical evaluation conducted by external experts’, explains Table.Briefings.' (...)

'These projects’ sudden inclusion onto the final list is not only adding to locals’ disquiet; it is worrying all those who want to see an honest, transparent energy transition.

Said raw materials policy advisor Michael Reckordt, who works out of PowerShift Germany, “the process raises serious concerns that environmental, human rights and social criteria played little role in the final selection of Strategic Projects. For affected communities contesting these projects for years, this is deeply troubling.”' (...)

'The CRMA was presented by the European Union as a strategic instrument to secure access to raw materials needed for the energy transition while upholding high environmental, social and governance standards. However, environmental organisations, legal experts and affected communities increasingly warn that the implementation of the legislation is moving in the opposite direction: accelerating permitting procedures, limiting public scrutiny and increasing political pressure around controversial industrial projects, says MiningWatch.

“The controversy surrounding the Strategic Projects selection process also emerges at a moment when the European Commission is considering revisions to the Water Framework Directive – one of the EU’s central environmental safeguards – explicitly aimed at removing “regulatory bottlenecks” linked to critical raw materials and industrial projects. Environmental organisations and researchers have warned that weakening the Directive’s non-deterioration principle could significantly reduce protections for rivers, groundwater and drinking water resources in favour of mining and industrial development.

“Although Strategic Project status does not replace national permitting procedures or environmental law, it substantially increases political and economic pressure on authorities responsible for approving projects. Against a backdrop of growing conflicts around mining, lithium extraction and industrial land use across Europe, the revelations intensify broader debates on democratic transparency, environmental justice, access to environmental information and the role of local communities in decisions shaping Europe’s energy and industrial transition, ends the MiningWatch press release.'