In an article published on February 18, 2026, Focus Online examines Europe's growing reliance on China for rare earth elements. The piece also addresses the challenges involved in establishing alternative supply and processing networks. It emphasises that, despite political initiatives such as the Critical Raw Materials Act, many projects remain difficult to implement. Contributing factors include lengthy permitting procedures and China's dominant position in the market. Matthias Rüth, Managing Director of TRADIUM, notes that Western companies often have very limited room to manoeuvre, as manufacturing is barely feasible without access to critical raw materials. In addition, substitution options are available only to a limited extent.
