US EditionEU Designates Controversial Lithium Mining Project in Serbia as Strategic
- On June 4, 2025, the European Commission designated Rio Tinto's Jadar lithium and boron mining project in western Serbia as a strategic project under the Critical Raw Materials Act.
- This designation occurred amid long-standing local opposition, mass protests since 2020, and controversy over environmental and health risks linked to the project near Loznica.
- The project, requiring $2.4 billion in investment, aims to diversify EU raw material sources and strengthen economic security through sustainable mining and value creation in Serbia.
- Rio Tinto stated the decision confirms the project meets EU standards for technical feasibility, environmental protection, social responsibility, and governance, while local activist Kokanović vowed to continue resistance.
- The designation may facilitate permits and financing but does not guarantee project approval in Serbia, where political and public opposition remains significant, highlighting ongoing uncertainty over Jadar's future.
12 Articles
12 Articles
It remained somewhat under the radar, but De Standaard did notice it. The European Commission announced a list of projects on Wednesday to address critical…
The European Union's support for lithium exploitation in Serbia is affecting the political situation, strengthening the power of President Aleksandar Vučić and his party, in a country where hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets for half a year, demanding more rule of law, democracy and the separation of powers, writes the Austrian daily newspaper Standart today.
European Commission approves controversial Serbian lithium project as strategic for the EU - European Western Balkans
On 4 June, the European Commission recognised a highly controversial lithium mining Jadar project in Serbia among 13 new strategic projects related to critical raw materials in third countries. The project, submitted by the international mining company Rio Tinto, has still not been approved by the Serbian institutions. However, it...
The European Commission's decision on Wednesday to include the Jadar project on agricultural land in western Serbia on its list of 13 strategic projects in the field of key raw materials in third countries has sparked new opposition from environmental associations and the opposition, with a message to Brussels - "You will not dig." On April 1 this year, a petition with more than 300,000 signatures from citizens opposing lithium mining in Serbia …
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