Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002999/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
André Rougé (PfE)
Nickel is vital for the strategic and industrial autonomy of Europe, which is dependent on production from China and Indonesia (in partnership with China) for 80 % of its nickel. That figure rises to 90 % for refined nickel.
With Greek and Cypriot production shutting down and Finnish mineral reserves only meeting a small proportion of our countries’ needs, the New Caledonian nickel deposit is the main, if not the only, one in the world that is under EU sovereignty. In fact, the overseas territory is home to 25 % of the world’s lateritic nickel reserves.
At a time when the EU is aiming to secure its supply chain with the Critical Raw Materials Act, New Caledonia is the only territory in a position to ensure that the EU stands a chance of producing 30 to 40 % of net-zero technologies.
- 1.In light of this, what action does the Commission intend to take to restore the competitiveness of French nickel from New Caledonia?
- 2.What trade measures does the Commission intend to adopt to counter the influx of Indonesian nickel – produced without complying with environmental, social and governance standards – and to prevent the objectives established in the Critical Raw Materials Act from becoming more and more difficult to achieve?
Submitted: 18.7.2025