The European Union has taken an important step toward strengthening its economic security by including tungsten, gallium, and rare earth elements in the inaugural list of joint strategic reserves. This initiative aims to dramatically reduce the European bloc's raw material dependence on China, which currently holds a monopoly on the market for these resources. According to informed sources, Brussels has already entered into substantive negotiations with key port hubs, including Europe's largest harbor, Rotterdam, to organize the secure storage of the reserves being built.

The list of strategic raw materials remains open, and the priority list may soon be expanded to include magnesium, graphite, and germanium. It is worth noting that the vast majority of the minerals under consideration by Brussels, with the exception of magnesium, are officially recognized by the North Atlantic Alliance as critical components for the needs of the defense industry. The program to create a pan-European raw materials reserve was announced by the European Commission back in December, and the immediate planning and implementation of this large-scale project is currently being carried out by ten EU member states under the strategic leadership of Germany, France, and Italy.