MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Countermeasures in response to the unjustified Chinese suspension of graphite exports to Sweden – E-000670/2025

Question for written answer  E-000670/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Tomas Tobé (PPE)

Since 2020, the Chinese ministry of commerce has stopped issuing export licences for artificial graphite products to Sweden[1], without apparent justification, in a seemingly hostile act targeted specifically against Sweden.

Graphite is an important mineral for the production of, among other things, batteries and is therefore a critical raw material for the green transition. In view of this, China nevertheless chooses to act in a manner which is causing electrification processes in Europe to become unnecessarily burdensome.

Sweden has large deposits of graphite[2], and the Swedish Government is committed to ensuring that Europe diversifies its supply of critical raw materials[3]. Notwithstanding this, China’s hostile actions against an EU Member State are unacceptable, and furthermore fragment EU trade policy. We therefore urge the Commission to clarify the following points:

• 1.What actions is the Commission taking in response to these discriminatory practices, which fragment EU trade policy, against an EU Member State?
• 2.What is the Commission’s assessment of the availability of critical raw materials in Europe, and what measures does it consider essential to ensure the long-term availability of graphite?

Submitted: 12.2.2025

• [1] https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/barriers/details?barrier_id=17542&sps=false.
• [2] https://www.sgu.se/mineralnaring/kritiska-ravaror/grafit/.
• [3] https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2025/01/regeringen-forelagger-kiruna-kommun-att-anta-detaljplan-som-mojliggor-grafitgruva/.