EU self-sufficiency for raw materials

<p><p>The Self-sufficiency (SS) indicator measures how much the EU is independent from the rest of the world for several raw materials. The indicator has been calculated based on actual yearly quantity data for domestic production, exports and imports, using the formula:<br />Self-sufficiency = 1 - (net) Import Reliance, where Import Reliance (IR) is defined in the EU Critical Raw Materials methodology as Net imports / (Net imports +Domestic Production).</p></p><p><p>The computations of Self-sufficiency indicator have been conducted at the first two stages of the value chain: extraction (E) and processing (P) for most of the materials. The values of Self-sufficiency indicator could range from 0 to 100%, in the same interval as import reliance, since any value outside this range can&rsquo;t be interpreted (there is no meaning of a negative self-sufficiency, neither to be more than 100% self-sufficient in a specific material).</p></p><p><p>The indicator provides insights in the differences between materials: for certain raw materials the EU is more self-sufficient than for others. The data source allows for a disaggregation per material. Due to increasing demand for certain materials (such as silicon, copper, tellurium and indium), even if 100% were recycled, the EU would still not be self-sufficient. The indicator should be considered in a broader context considering potential disruption of supply in the context of economically sensitive key areas. Self-sufficiency for raw materials, in combination with an analysis of the source countries for these materials, can help assessing supply risks for these materials.</p></p>