Recital 46

(46) Strategic stocks are an important tool to mitigate supply disruptions, in particular for critical raw materials. Although the proposed single market emergency instrument as proposed by the Commission would allow for the possible development of such strategic stocks in the event of the activation of the single market vigilance mode, Member States and companies do not have obligations to build up their strategic stocks ahead of a supply disruption. In addition, there is no coordination mechanism across the Union that allows for the development of a common assessment and of an analysis of potential overlaps and synergies. Therefore, as a first step, and taking account of the present lack of relevant information, Member States should provide to the Commission information about potential strategic stocks, and if any, whether they are operated by public authorities or by economic operators on the behalf of the Member States. Such information should include the strategic stock levels available per strategic raw material on an aggregated level, the outlook of strategic stock levels, and the rules and procedures applicable to that strategic stock. Any request should be proportionate, have regard for the cost and effort required to make the data available as well as for its impact on national security, and should set out appropriate time limits for providing the requested information. The Member States should be able to add information on the strategic stocks of economic operators to the analysis, although not subject to a request for information. The Commission should handle the data in a secure manner, and only publish information on an aggregate level. As a second step, on the basis of the information acquired, the Commission should develop a draft benchmark for what should be considered to be a safe level of Union strategic stocks, taking into account the total annual Union consumption of the concerned strategic raw materials. On the basis of a comparison between existing strategic stocks and the overall levels of strategic stocks of strategic raw materials across the Union, the Board, acting in agreement with the Commission, should then be able to issue non-binding opinions to Member States on how to increase convergences, and to encourage them in building up their strategic stocks. In doing so, the Board should consider the need to maintain incentives for the development of strategic stocks by private or public operators using strategic raw materials.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-13 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.