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EU–Serbia raw materials partnership: Strategic opportunity or governance risk?

In July 2024, the European Union and Serbia signed a strategic raw materials partnership focused on cooperation in lithium extraction, battery production, and clean technologies. For the EU, the partnership supports diversification of critical raw material supply chains under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and aims to reduce dependence on China. For Serbia, it offers investment and geopolitical visibility—but also fuels domestic controversy. The partnership’s centrepiece is the Jadar lithium mining project, developed by Rio Tinto, which could supply…