Dubravka Đedović Handanović, Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, has described the recently signed Memorandum of Strategic Partnership between Serbia and the EU as a significant advancement in their relationship, particularly concerning critical raw materials. These materials, she notes, are increasingly in demand globally.
“The memorandum signed with the EU yesterday does not pre-determine the specifics of the ‘Jadar’ project, but it does ensure that no mineral raw material activities will be conducted without alignment with both the EU and, specifically, Germany—a leader in the industry and electric vehicle development,” Đedović Handanović emphasized in an interview with RTS.
She elaborated that the next step is to develop a roadmap over the next six months for sustainably advancing any project related to critical mineral raw materials. “Regarding the exploitation permit itself, it is issued by the Ministry of Mining and Energy, but there is a long journey from exploration to obtaining this permit. For the Jadar project, there is still much work ahead,” the minister said.
For any project to secure an exploitation permit, it must first complete technical investment documentation and obtain approvals from relevant Serbian institutions concerning water management, environmental protection, cultural heritage, and local government. “A series of procedures aligned with legal requirements must be completed to secure the necessary permits before the Ministry of Mining can even consider the exploitation permit, which must be complemented by completed technical investment documentation,” she added.
Đedović Handanović stressed that Serbia’s best partners for developing the entire value chain—from battery production to electric vehicle manufacturing—are the EU countries represented in Belgrade yesterday, including Germany, the leading industrial nation in Europe.
She highlighted the importance of the presence of EU officials and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as major automotive companies such as Mercedes and Stellantis, alongside representatives from financial institutions and development banks from Germany, Italy, and the EU. “The cooperation and the memorandum signed yesterday ensure that Serbia is well-positioned to develop its industry and reindustrialize over the next 30 to 40 years in high technologies, innovations, human resource development, and the value chain from minerals and raw materials to the production of cathodes, batteries, and electric vehicles.”
She emphasized that the focus is not just on a single project but on broader Serbia-EU cooperation regarding critical mineral raw materials. Serbia, besides lithium and borates, also has significant reserves of molybdenum, nickel, cobalt and calcite, which it plans to utilize.
The minister noted that global demand for critical raw materials is growing daily and is expected to increase up to 4.5 times by 2030.
