Raw materials and technology: EU deepens cooperation with USA and Canada

In the wake of G7 meetings and Nato summit, the European Union has toughened its tone towards China even after bilateral talks and thus cooperation with the US and Canada.“We Europeans want to diversify our imports away from producers like China,“ EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels on Tuesday after a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. To that end, the EU and Canada announced the establishment of a strategic partnership on raw materials. „Because we want more sustainability, less environmental damage and transparency on labor conditions,“ von der Leyen said. For the first time, the Commission President linked the EU’s dependence on strategically important raw materials to problematic working conditions in China.