European Union, United States, and Japan strengthen cooperation on critical minerals

The European Union, the United States, and Japan met on 4 February in Washington, DC, for a Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting, with the participation of several EU Member States. The meeting highlighted the shared commitment of the three partners to strengthen economic and national security through more resilient critical minerals supply chains.

In this context, the European Union, the United States, and Japan announced their intention to accelerate cooperative efforts towards a mutually beneficial Partnership, structured around two main components. A key commitment is to conclude, within the next 30 days, a Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and the United States aimed at enhancing critical minerals supply chain security.

The forthcoming Memorandum of Understanding will identify areas of cooperation to stimulate demand and diversify supply for both parties, including the identification and support of projects in mining, refining, processing, and recycling. It will also address measures to prevent supply chain disruptions, promote research and innovation, and facilitate information exchange on stockpiling.

In addition, on 27 October 2025, the leaders of the United States and Japan signed a Framework for Securing the Supply of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths through Mining and Processing, covering the same areas of cooperation.

Building on existing international cooperation and initiatives, the European Union, the United States, and Japan also intend to develop Action Plans and explore a plurilateral trade initiative with like-minded partners focused on trade in critical minerals. Such an initiative could involve the exploration of coordinated trade policies and mechanisms, including border-adjusted price floors, standards-based markets, price gap subsidies, or offtake agreements.

The United States Department of State will lead US engagement on the Memorandum of Understanding, while the Office of the United States Trade Representative will lead US engagement on the Action Plan.

The European Union, the United States, and Japan agreed to continue engaging on these matters and to explore additional options to enhance critical minerals resilience and related measures in relevant international fora, including the G7 and the Minerals Security Partnership or any successor forum.