Project summary:

Mineral raw materials are today more crucial than ever in Europe to face the ecological and digital transition. But Europe is currently highly dependent on other countries for some key mineral raw materials, questioning its autonomy but also in some ways, the possibility of the green transition itself.

The social partners of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Extractive Industries (SSDCEI) are convinced that social dialogue initiatives can help to secure responsible and sustainable raw materials sourced from Europe and that they have a role to play in the Just Transition towards a decarbonised economy.

IndustriAll Europe and Euromines, with the involvement of the other members of SSDCEI, are therefore planning to identify (with the assistance of an external consultant) examples of how sustainable extraction and processing of raw materials in Europe have been developed with the help of social dialogue (national, sectoral and company level) and social acceptance built.

This project will highlight the challenges and benefits of social dialogue practices in the European extractive industries’ activities towards more sustainability. Based on this, the project will also help to strengthen social dialogue and improve the social dimension of sustainable practices in the European extractive industries and the relevance of the sector.

This will be achieved through data collection and analysis (via desk research and interviews) and specific events which will gather European and national social partners and key stakeholders to analyse and collect social dialogue initiatives, in order to strengthen the sustainability of raw material extraction in Europe. A kick-off event, three workshops and a final conference will be organised in order to study in-depth challenges and strengthen the social partners’ knowledge and capacities. A toolkit and communication materials, based on the data collection and analysis and the inputs and conclusions of the different events, is to be developed to promote and disseminate best practices and encourage social dialogue in the sector.

The call for tender