The G7 leaders have unveiled a joint declaration to strengthen critical minerals supply chains, expressing concern over “non-market policies” and economic coercion. They aim to reduce dependency on single suppliers and diversify production.
The Group of Seven (G7) leaders on Wednesday unveiled a joint declaration to strengthen the resilience of critical minerals supply chains, expressing concern over “non-market policies and practices” and the use of economic coercion in global trade.
In a joint declaration on securing supply chains for critical minerals, G7 leaders said they were committed to reducing vulnerabilities stemming from concentrated supply chains and arbitrary trade restrictions.
Commitments to Diversification and Reduced Dependence
“We express our grave concerns regarding the use of non-market policies and practices and economic coercion, including arbitrary export restrictions and retaliatory measures on critical minerals and their related dual-use items, all of which undermine economic security and resilience,” the declaration stated. “We will work together with partners to reduce critical dependencies and ensure that attempts or threats to weaponise economic dependencies fail.”
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to diversifying supply chains and strengthening domestic and allied production, processing and recycling capabilities for minerals critical to digital technologies, clean energy and industrial manufacturing.
Building on the Critical Minerals Production Alliance established under Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency, the countries pledged to coordinate investments and industrial projects across the entire value chain. They set a goal of reducing dependence on any single supplier outside the G7 and partner countries for rare earths and permanent magnets to below 60 per cent by 2030, with an ambition to reach 50 per cent as soon as possible.
Boosting Investment and Financing
“We, together with partner countries, will cooperate closely to advance production, processing and recycling projects across the entire supply chain,” the leaders said, noting that 195 projects announced since the beginning of 2026 have already attracted EUR 64 billion in investment.
The declaration also highlighted the need for greater public and private financing, calling on multilateral development banks, development finance institutions and export credit agencies to coordinate support for critical minerals projects and related infrastructure.
Ensuring Market Stability and Transparency
Recognising the importance of market stability, the G7 said it would continue exploring measures including diversification requirements, joint procurement tools, revenue stabilisation mechanisms and trade-related instruments to support resilient supply chains.
On transparency, the leaders committed to developing harmonised and interoperable traceability mechanisms for critical minerals, beginning with lithium and nickel, before expanding to additional minerals each year. “We are committed to working towards establishing harmonized, interoperable mechanisms aligned with our interests that ensure traceability and transparency regarding the origin of critical minerals,” the declaration said.
Upholding Labour and Ethical Standards
The G7 also underscored concerns about forced labour and illegal trafficking in mineral supply chains, pledging to align practices with internationally recognised labour standards and improve enforcement measures.
Crisis Preparedness and Response
To prepare for potential disruptions, the countries agreed to expand stockpiling capacities and establish a cooperation mechanism, supported by the International Energy Agency (IEA), to share alerts and data on future market stress and supply disruptions.
Promoting Recycling and Circular Economy
The declaration further emphasised recycling and circular economy initiatives, with leaders committing to increasing collection and recycling capacities, promoting reuse and recovery of critical materials, and setting recycling targets for selected minerals by the end of the year.
New G7 Alliance for Critical Minerals
As part of the new framework, the G7 formally established a non-binding G7 Critical Minerals Resilience and Production Alliance, which will be open to like-minded partners and serve as a platform for cooperation on diversification, financing, transparency, stockpiling and crisis response.
“To achieve these objectives and ensure long-term coordination of our efforts, we establish a non-binding G7 Critical Minerals Resilience and Production Alliance,” the leaders announced, describing it as a comprehensive mechanism to strengthen the resilience and diversification of global critical minerals value chains. (ANI)
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