Abstract
The EU has entered into fourteen memorandums of understanding concerning the supply of critical raw materials and battery value chains. Unlike the memoranda signed with other countries, the one signed with Serbia in July 2024 sparked strong opposition from the Serbian civil society, opposition parties, and environmental groups. Concerned that the lax environmental standards and their non-enforcement in Serbia would lead to environmental degradation, the protests focused on the lithium mining project led by the multinational company Rio Tinto. In this talk, I will explore the political and legal contexts of the project and its opposition as they serve as an important precedent in the EU's diversification regarding critical minerals procurement.
Still in its early stages, my study aims to demonstrate the high risks that implementing the Critical Raw Materials Act entails. In this case, the first major risk is that of making democracy and the rule of law in Serbia weaker. Second is the risk of significant environmental degradation in Serbia, and the third is the risk for the investor - that of legal uncertainty that brings into question the feasibility of the entire project. These inherent weaknesses jeopardize risk management exposing the weaknesses of the EU's corporate sustainability and critical minerals procurement framework
Participate
This event is open to everyone interested.