Canberra: The European Union has signalled strong interest in taking direct stakes in a number of Australian mineral projects as part of its wider plan to secure long term supplies of critical raw materials needed for technology, clean energy and defence industries.

EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said during his visit to Australia that Europe is ready to invest in selected projects and support them through joint ventures, equity partnerships or long term purchase agreements. He said the EU would soon publish a list of Australian projects that it considers strategically important.

The move comes as Europe works to reduce its dependence on single source suppliers after the disruption caused by past energy shocks and concerns about global supply chains dominated by China. Critical m

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