European Union countries are mulling how to respond to China's sweeping restrictions on rare earths, a decision that has reignited a high-stakes commercial confrontation that Brussels had hoped to resolve AT A SUMMIT IN JULY.
The issue is poised to come up during a summit of leaders on Thursday, even if no specific item is foreseen on the agenda.
"It's an important topic that leaders are aware of," a senior EU official said.
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During preparations for the summit, France raised the subject of rare earths and suggested wording be added to the conclusions, several diplomats told Euronews. Poland supported the French proposal, which failed to gain broad support.
The latest draft of the conclusion lacks an explicit mention of China. B