119
Its main principles, in addition to monitoring critical raw materials, are ensuring fair and sustainable supply from global markets (pillar 1), fostering sustainable
supply within the European Union (pillar 2) and boosting resource efficiency and
promoting recycling (pillar 3).
Emergence of Raw Materials Diplomacy
According to the European Commission, the European Union “should actively pursue raw materials diplomacy with a view to securing access to raw materials”. Yet,
in the field of nuclear energy in France, nuclear advisers can already be found for
certain French embassies (US, Russia, Japan, China, Korea, EU).
We may at present consider whether it would be appropriate, like Japan, to create “raw materials” advisers for embassies or delegations of the European Union in
producer countries. The role of such advisers would be to monitor in real time the
industrial, economic, commercial and legal evolution of raw materials, with rapid
transmission of information enabling shorter reaction times.
Similarly, why not grant France’s new Committee for Strategic Metals
(COMES), created by the decree of 24 January 2011 following the action plan to
secure France’s access to rare mineral materials announced on 27 April 2010, powers of intervention analogous to those of its Japanese equivalent, JOGMEC, which
recently announced deals with the Australian company Lynas (rare earths) and the
Brazilian company Mineraçao (niobium)?
International Awareness
This issue of raw materials supply does not leave the international community indifferent. In particular, we can make mention of the African Mining Vision 2050
adopted in 2009, as well as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)
established in 2003, and the entry on 1 March 2011 of eleven new members having
made significant efforts in terms of transparency (including Central Africa, Niger,
Nigeria, Ghana as well as Yemen, Norway and Azerbaijan) (see Fig. 8.1).
Yet it is no doubt the intervention of the WTO that constitutes the most decisive
factor of the past years. Mention has already been made of the efforts implemented
by this organisation to address its role in the raw materials market, with fair access
to these resources now constituting, as far as the WTO is concerned, a prerequisite
for State competitiveness, given the increasingly fierce international competition
they generate
13
.
However, things have not been left at the reflection stage. On 23 June 2009, a
European request for consultations was submitted to the Chair of the WTO Dispute
Settlement Body (DSB)
14
concerning Chinese measures related to the exportation
13
Ifremer 2011. Les ressources minérales marines profondes. Prospective à l’horizon 2030, p. 36.
14
Ifremer 2011. DS 395.
8 Access to Raw Materials
Its main principles, in addition to monitoring critical raw materials, are ensuring fair and sustainable supply from global markets (pillar 1), fostering sustainable
supply within the European Union (pillar 2) and boosting resource efficiency and
promoting recycling (pillar 3).
Emergence of Raw Materials Diplomacy
According to the European Commission, the European Union “should actively pursue raw materials diplomacy with a view to securing access to raw materials”. Yet,
in the field of nuclear energy in France, nuclear advisers can already be found for
certain French embassies (US, Russia, Japan, China, Korea, EU).
We may at present consider whether it would be appropriate, like Japan, to create “raw materials” advisers for embassies or delegations of the European Union in
producer countries. The role of such advisers would be to monitor in real time the
industrial, economic, commercial and legal evolution of raw materials, with rapid
transmission of information enabling shorter reaction times.
Similarly, why not grant France’s new Committee for Strategic Metals
(COMES), created by the decree of 24 January 2011 following the action plan to
secure France’s access to rare mineral materials announced on 27 April 2010, powers of intervention analogous to those of its Japanese equivalent, JOGMEC, which
recently announced deals with the Australian company Lynas (rare earths) and the
Brazilian company Mineraçao (niobium)?
International Awareness
This issue of raw materials supply does not leave the international community indifferent. In particular, we can make mention of the African Mining Vision 2050
adopted in 2009, as well as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)
established in 2003, and the entry on 1 March 2011 of eleven new members having
made significant efforts in terms of transparency (including Central Africa, Niger,
Nigeria, Ghana as well as Yemen, Norway and Azerbaijan) (see Fig. 8.1).
Yet it is no doubt the intervention of the WTO that constitutes the most decisive
factor of the past years. Mention has already been made of the efforts implemented
by this organisation to address its role in the raw materials market, with fair access
to these resources now constituting, as far as the WTO is concerned, a prerequisite
for State competitiveness, given the increasingly fierce international competition
they generate
13
.
However, things have not been left at the reflection stage. On 23 June 2009, a
European request for consultations was submitted to the Chair of the WTO Dispute
Settlement Body (DSB)
14
concerning Chinese measures related to the exportation
13
Ifremer 2011. Les ressources minérales marines profondes. Prospective à l’horizon 2030, p. 36.
14
Ifremer 2011. DS 395.
8 Access to Raw Materials