Sixteen projects in Finland have applied for strategic project status under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act, aiming to strengthen Europe’s raw material production and reduce external dependencies. The European Commission will review the applications and decide on the strategic designation by March 2025.
On January 23, 2025, the Finnish Government confirmed that it would not exercise its national right to object to any of the applications. While the European Commission consults with Member States before making its final decision, the Finnish authorities have chosen to support all submitted projects.
The Critical Raw Materials Act is a key component of the EU’s strategy to secure essential resources for industries such as renewable energy, battery production, and advanced technologies. Strategic project status grants selected projects regulatory advantages, faster permitting, and potential financial support to accelerate development.
Due to confidentiality rules under the Act on the Openness of Government Activities, specific details about the applicants remain undisclosed during the evaluation process. However, the final list of approved strategic projects is expected to be published following the Commission’s decision in March.
