New EU Centre Launched to Strengthen Europe's Critical Raw Materials Intelligence

Ljubljana, June 2, 2025 - A major new initiative to advance sustainable resource governance across Europe has officially launched: the European International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management (ICE-SRM EU): https://www.geologicalservice.eu/areas-of-expertise/raw-materials/european-international-centre-of-excellence-on-sustainable-resource-management.

An initiative by EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) operated by and headquartered at the Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS), ICE-SRM EU will play a strategic role in building capacity and harmonising best practices for resource classification and management across Europe. It will focus especially on aligning Europe's raw material policies with global sustainability goals and supporting the implementation of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act. ICE-SRM EU is designed to serve stakeholders at all levels, including EU institutions, national and regional governments, geological surveys, and industry partners.

The establishment of ICE-SRM EU was officially marked on May 21, 2025, in Nova Gorica, Slovenia - this year's borderless European Capital of Culture, shared with neighbouring Gorizia in Italy. The symbolic location underscored the Centre's mission to foster cross-border knowledge and collaboration. The event opened with welcoming remarks from Mr Samo Turel, Mayor of the Municipality of Nova Gorica, followed by intervention of the major stakeholders.

Julie Hollis, EuroGeoSurveys' Secretary General, said the launch of ICE-SRM EU demonstrates the strategic value of coordinated geological expertise at European level. "The launch of the ICE-SRM EU shows what can be achieved when Europe's geological expertise is aligned with policy priorities and societal needs. It makes a strong case for a long-term, sustainably funded Geological Service for Europe capable of delivering lasting impact at this scale."

Miloš Bavec, Director of GeoZS, said in his opening speech that "The Geological Survey of Slovenia has taken on the task of establishing this centre, as it has strong experience in resource management at the national level. The strength and advantage of the Centre, enabling us to act quickly and respond to European demands, lies in its network of competent partners with a strong network of experts and stakeholders."

During the panel discussion, Dario Liguti, Director of Sustainable Energy at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), emphasised the role of the Centre, noting that "The role of this centre goes beyond Europe - it will serve as a hub for exporting knowledge on sustainable resource management to non-EU countries on UN methodologies and EU rules on trade, processing and economic relations. Given the EU's strategic position as a major importer and global economic player, the centre will play a key role in supporting international cooperation and the implementation of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act."

Robert Tomas, representing the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), said, "The Centre can actively contribute to the development of national guidelines for resource management using the UNFC framework. Country-specific guidelines are needed to harmonise the different classification systems and to support effective, evidence-based minerals policies across the EU."

Tanja Vertelj from the Slovenian Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, summarised, "Together with my fellow speakers, I recognise the major geopolitical challenges we face, including sustainability, competitiveness and security. While these are all crucial, I believe that more emphasis should be placed on evidence-based policymaking at both national and global levels. Without it, policy decisions lack quality and effectiveness."

Looking ahead, one of the Centre's next key activities will be the launch of an online Knowledge Hub by the end of the year. The platform will provide access to training, resources, expert networks, and best practices, further reinforcing ICE-SRM EU's role as a catalyst for sustainable resource management across Europe.

EuroGeoSurveys Secretariat
Rue Joseph II, 36-38, Box 7
1000 Brussels, Belgium

Press contact: Renata Barros, Strategic Communications Officer at EGS
renata.barros@eurogeosurveys.org

About EuroGeoSurveys
EuroGeoSurveys is a not-for-profit member organisation representing the European National Geological Survey Organisations, comprising a workforce of over 10,000 experts collaborating through scientific expert groups, task forces, and EU-funded projects. Our mission is to enable the sustainable and responsible use of the Earth's subsurface environment and resources. Through our flagship Geological Service for Europe (GSEU) project, we deliver harmonised datasets and atlases that are vital to achieving this mission. Learn more: https://eurogeosurveys.org/

About Geological Survey of Slovenia
The Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS) is a multidisciplinary public research institute with a wide range of activities with a scientific and professional focus on geology and other geosciences, responding to the needs of society. GeoZS conducts basic and applied research and is a national custodian of geological information with a central role in national geological research and a long tradition of data acquisition, information production and dissemination, and management of geological research. Read more here: https://www.geo-zs.si/en/

This release was published on openPR.