Recital 59

(59) Critical raw materials sold on the Union market are often certified regarding the sustainability of their production and supply chain. Certification can be obtained in the context of a broad range of public and private certification schemes available with varying scopes and stringency, creating the potential for confusion regarding the nature and veracity of claims made about the relative sustainability of critical raw materials placed on the Union market on the basis of such certification. The Commission should be empowered to adopt implementing acts recognising certification schemes that should be considered to be trustworthy, providing a common basis for relevant authorities and market participants for assessing the sustainability of critical raw materials. Recognition should be given only to certification schemes which contain provisions for independent third-party verification and monitoring of compliance. As regards environmental protection, certifications schemes should cover risks related to, for example, air, water, soil, biodiversity and waste management. The requirements on all sustainability dimensions should ensure a high level of social and environmental protection and should be consistent with Union law or the international instruments listed in an annex. To ensure efficient procedures, project promoters of projects applying to be recognised as Strategic Projects should be allowed to rely on participation in a recognised certification scheme as relevant evidence to show that their project is implemented sustainably, thereby contributing to a safe and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. When making use of that option, recognised certification schemes should cover all sustainability dimensions. In recognising such certification schemes, the Commission should take into account experience gained in assessing certification schemes in the context of other Union legislative acts, in particular regarding the assessment of similar schemes in the context of Regulations (EU) 2017/821 (27) and (EU) 2023/1542 (28) of the European Parliament and of the Council.

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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.