TS 6-7 – Mineral Policy Framework, Access to Mineral
Potential and Public Awareness, Acceptance and Trust
This document provides a report of Thematic Session 6-7 for the Operational Group meetings held on
Monday 10th November 2014 in support of the European Innovation Partnership for Raw Materials.
Approximately 30 delegates attended this thematic session meeting on Mineral Policy Framework, Access
to Mineral Potential and Public Awareness, Acceptance and Trust, which was moderated by Ms María
Escuer Ballabriga (DG ENTR). The participants composed members of EIP Operational Group 3 and also
representatives of relevant Raw Materials Commitments (RMCs). The objectives of the meeting were to
promote synergies/cooperation and possible clustering of RMCs, to promote cooperation with related EU
initiatives, and to help enlarge the EIP community.
Presentations were then given by nine of the eleven RMCs (EMD, EMY2015, ENTRIE, OPTIMIN_2020,
REMIND, SMiS, Stand4Mines, SUMAN 2000 and SUSMINE). Two RMCs were not presented at the
meeting (PPS and SAFE & PRODUCTIVE MINING WASTE FACILITIES). Some of the presented RMCs are
quite broad in their geographical scope and project aims, whereas a few are more specific. Key topics
covered by the RMCs include: outreach events to raise public awareness; national mineral strategies;
standardisation and voluntary commitments; and sustainable mining.
The following observations were made relating to possible clustering/synergies:
 Synergies between REMIND and Stand4Mines were noted as both projects aim to identify best
practice in sustainable reporting. The two projects agreed to cooperate on overlapping activities.
 Synergies between EMD and EMY2015 as two outreach focused events, but also synergies with RMCs
in other thematic sessions, e.g. IMAGINe.
 Synergies between RMCs with a national minerals strategy focus, e.g. ENTRIE, OPTIMIN_2020, PPS
and SMiS.
 Sustainable mining was observed to be a possible, albeit large, cluster. However, there was a
preference for fewer, broader clusters, to help achieve critical mass.
The following observations were made relating to possible enlargement of the EIP community:
 Review regional operational plans and national development plans for relevant actions on raw
materials, with special regard to the availability of Structural and Cohesion Funds.
 Commitments could be joined by individual experts, if their host organisation does not wish to
participate.
 A few commitments do not have a timeframe or have a loose work plan.
 National funding agencies could be approached (also via the ERA-MIN network), as could
stakeholders along the whole value chain.
 Engage the Raw Materials Supply Group to enhance the implementation of action areas.
The meeting was concluded with a summing up by the designated rapporteurs: Dr Verhaert and Dr
Hámor. The following comments were noted:
 Three (flexible) clusters were proposed: a national strategies cluster, a sustainable mining cluster
(with standardisation as a sub-set of this cluster), and a communications cluster.
 A matrix of commitments and projects would be helpful for identifying existing gaps in the coverage
of SIP action areas.
 The community should now be enhanced in both numbers and coverage.
At the end of the meeting, Ms Escuer Ballabriga thanked members for their active participation,
comments and questions.