Europeum

Ekonomický deník | Europe's dependence on imports from China is growing

May 31, 2024

The essential components needed to grow the modern economy include chips and semiconductors, solar panels and batteries for electric cars. All of these are imported into Europe from Asian countries instead of manufacturing capacity being built here. Viktor Daňek, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, said it is necessary to open a debate on the reform of the common budget and new revenues.

Report | A Circular Solution for Czechia: Round table discussion on end-of-life management of EV batteries

April 23, 2024

On April 11, 2024, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy along with its partner INCIEN Institute for Circular Economy, held a roundtable titled A Circular Solution for Czechia. This round table was part of a project called The End-of-Life Management of the Automotive Industry and the Opportunities for Czechia.

Policy Paper | Securing Europe’s Lithium Future: The Cinovec project and sustainable lithium mining

March 25, 2024

The EU's proactive stance, introduced in the Critical Raw Material Strategy and later Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), drives the EU approach to secure the supply of European/domestic critical raw materials for EV battery production. The Cinovec project has a large economic potential as it enhances the ability to secure domestic and regional supply of lithium, which is otherwise very geographically concentrated outside of Europe. Europe relies on a handful of countries, particularly China, for the import of lithium for the production of EV batteries.

Hospodářské noviny | Czech lithium reserves could boost the automotive industry

March 05, 2024

The Czech Republic has vast reserves of lithium, a crucial resource for manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. However, it lags behind in other aspects of the battery supply chain, such as production and recycling. And yet, these key industry sectors could potentially help in saving the local automotive industry. Jonathan Lyons, an analyst at the EUROPEUM Institute, further explored this issue and the potential benefits of lithium for the Czech economy in an article for Hospodářské noviny.

End-of-life management of the automotive industry and the opportunities for Czechia

December 11, 2023

After three successful projects focusing on the decarbonization of the Czech automotive industry, the Green Europe team of EUROPEUM in collaboration with the Institute of Circular Economy (INCIEN) is broadening its focus and taking a more circular approach. This project will focus on better lifecycle and end-of-life management of materials used in vehicles and batteries. The collaboration will be split into two research areas.

EU-Pacific Talks: In-EV-itable future of automotive industry: what is the role of the Pacific region

May 26, 2023

We would like to invite you to the debate called "EU-Pacific Talks: In-EV-itable future of automotive industry: what is the role of the Pacific region" in the EU-PACIFIC Talks series. The debate will take place online on Tuesday, May 30 at 13:00.

Policy Paper | The future is electric: role of Visegrad countries in the EV battery supply chain

March 24, 2023

The car industry is a crucial player for the economies of each Visegrad country, but to remain competitive adaptation is necessary. Since the shift from ICE to EVs leads to a substantial need for Critical Raw Materials (CRM), the V4 countries have and must continue to position themselves along the different parts of the EV battery supply chain from mining, refining to manufacturing, reuse and recycling as well as R&D into new battery chemistries. The future is electric: role of the Visegrad countries in the EV battery supply chain report addresses areas for Visegrad countries to ensure a sustainable and reliable EV battery supply chain.

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iDNES.cz: Cheap electromobility has been pushed back by Brussels. Batteries must be eco

December 27, 2022

Electric cars that do not emit dangerous emissions should slowly replace cars with combustion engines. An environmentally friendly replacement. But what about the production of their batteries? According to the EU, the entire life cycle of these batteries should be environmentally friendly, from production to use to disposal. What measures will be introduced, how will the sale of batteries be regulated and how will this affect their price? Our research fellow Michal Hrubý comments on the topic.

iDNES.cz: China's electric car wave will overwhelm Europe, warns analysis

September 29, 2022

The driving force of the electric car market is no longer Europe or the United States, but China. It is now trying to push its production into Europe, but the European current production infrastructure is not capable to face the challenge. While the debate about electric cars is mainly limited to environmental friendliness and price for consumers, the future of global competition is often neglected. This is what our researchers Vít Havelka and Michal Hrubý point out in a new analysis on electromobility. To safeguard its automotive industry, Europe needs to work on improving its battery production capacities, as well as its supply chains for primary raw materials, the experts say.