EU Seeks Alternatives to China’s Rare Earths

The plan include recycling materials within the EU, joint purchasing, stockpiling, and investing in projects in and out of the bloc.

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen speak during a press conference as part of the European Council meeting gathering the 27 EU leaders to discuss Ukraine, European defence, recent developments in the Middle East, competitiveness, housing and migration, in Brussels, on Oct.23, 2025. Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images

The European Union is seeking to wean itself off rare earths from China, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

In a speech at the Berlin Global Dialogue on Saturday, von der Leyen said the EU is “working on a new RESource EU plan along the lines of the REPower Initiative,” which Brussels launched in 2022 to phase out Russian energy.