EU – Ukraine strategic partnership on raw materials: the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development will support digitalisation of geological data in Ukraine

In the context of the EU Raw Materials Week 2022, Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, Maroš Šefčovič, participated at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Ukrainian Geological Survey, aimed to facilitate the modernisation of geodata management in Ukraine. By digitalising geological data, including documents and maps, we will help improve the governance, transparency, regulation as well as access for investors.  

Vice-President Šefčovič said: “This is a truly impressive development under the EU-Ukrainian strategic partnership on raw materials, given the fact that the war still rages in Ukraine. Raw materials, critical for green and digital economies, can be found in abundance in Ukraine, which holds deposits of some 20 out of 30 such materials. By integrating Ukraine in EU value chains, we will diversify our supplies, strengthen our industrial base, while helping reconstruct Ukraine’s war-torn economy. This will also contribute to our efforts to prevent raw materials from being weaponised.”

The EU-Ukrainian Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials and Batteries was launched by Vice-President Šefčovič and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in July 2021. The first review meeting on “Ukraine’s Investment Opportunities” is taking place today in the context of the Raw Materials Week. The meeting will allow EU and Ukrainian stakeholders to discuss possible joint projects and will also start the preparation of a new roadmap for 2023 and 2024.

The 7th edition of the EU Raw Materials Week is taking place from 14 to 18 November 2022. The signature of the MoU and related speeches can be found on EbS. The speech of the Vice-President Šefčovič is also available here.