MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Criteria for a strategically important project in Sakatti’s nature reserve. – P-001239/2025

Priority question for written answer  P-001239/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Maria Ohisalo (Verts/ALE), Ville Niinistö (Verts/ALE)

The Commission has declared Sakatti’s mining project located at Sodankylä in a Natura 2000 area a strategically important one.

The EU’s Habitats Directive will allow a project in Natura 2000 areas[1], if there is no alternative solution for the project, and it must be implemented for an imperative reason of overriding public interest.

The criteria for Strategic Projects are listed more precisely in the Regulation on critical raw materials[2]. Furthermore, the status of Strategic Project does not entitle anyone to bypass existing environmental law[3]. The Commission can withdraw its recognition of a Strategic Project having consulted the European Critical Raw Materials Board, if the project no longer fulfils the conditions or if recognition is based on incorrect information.[4]

• 1.Is the Commission prepared to withdraw its recognition of this Strategic Project?
• 2.How will the Commission ensure that the Critical Raw Materials Board will definitely have access to correct and up-to-date information?
• 3.How does the Commission judge whether or not a project has no alternative and the notion of overriding public interest, and what are the Commission’s concrete resources for ensuring that strategic projects do not in practice destroy nature reserves and for preventing their destruction?

Submitted: 25.3.2025

• [1] Article 6(4) of the Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01992L0043-20130701.
• [2] Article 6 of the Regulation on critical raw materials, in particular the monitoring, prevention and minimisation of environmental impacts, the prevention and minimisation of socially adverse impacts, engagement with local communities and indigenous people, including respect for human rights and indigenous peoples, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401252.
• [3] Recital 25 of the EU Regulation on critical raw materials, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401252.
• [4] Recital 23 of the EU Regulation on critical raw materials, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401252.