On 4 June 2025, as part of EU Green Week, the European Parliament hosted the high-level breakfast debate ‘Urban Mining: Unlocking Secondary Resources for a Circular Economy‘, under the patronage of MEP Susana Solís Pérez. This EU Green Week Partner event was co-organised by the European Federation of Geologists, RemTech Europe, the Geological Survey of Belgium, Geologica Belgica Luxemburga Scientia et Professionis, UNICALCE, and the Horizon Europe FIC-Fighters project.
With the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) now in force, aiming to secure at least 15% of strategic raw materials from recycled sources by 2030, the debate brought together leading voices from policy, science, and industry to explore how urban mining can help meet this target and drive the EU’s shift toward a circular, resource-resilient economy.
Speakers and moderators of the event (from left to right): David Govoni, Marco Falconi, Marta Cerati, Susana Solís Pérez, Christian Burlet, Silvia Paparella, Nino Tarantino, Anita Stein, Vanessa Montoya, and Rudi Ruggeri.
Watch the recording of the session below:
Read the full press release at the following link and below: https://tinyurl.com/PR-Urban-Min
PRESS RELEASE: Urban Mining Takes Centre Stage at the European Parliament During EU Green Week 2025
Brussels, 4 June 2025 — As part of EU Green Week 2025, the European Parliament today hosted the high-level breakfast debate “Urban Mining: Unlocking Secondary Resources for a Circular Economy”, under the patronage of MEP Susana Solís Pérez. This EU Green Week Partner event was co-organised by the European Federation of Geologists, RemTech Europe, the Geological Survey of Belgium, Geologica Belgica Luxemburga Scientia et Professionis, UNICALCE, and the Horizon Europe FIC-Fighters project.
With the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) now in force, the EU aims to secure at least 15% of strategic raw materials from recycled sources by 2030. The debate brought together leading voices from policymaking, science, and industry to explore how urban mining can play a pivotal role in achieving this goal and advancing Europe’s transition toward a circular, resource-resilient economy.
Cities as Europe’s Next Strategic Resource Hubs
In the opening remarks, moderated by Pierre De Geest (Geologica Belgica Luxemburga Scientia et Professionis), MEP Susana Solís Pérez underscored the urgency of unlocking the potential of Europe’s urban areas, describing urban mining as “not a concept for the future, but a necessity for today.”
Key messages from MEP Solís included:
- Geologists are essential to identify, map, and certify urban deposits. “No waste is the same,” she noted, highlighting the importance of trusted and certified professionals and data-driven approaches.
- Regulatory simplification is needed to unlock secondary raw materials—starting with permitting procedures. While the CRMA has laid the groundwork, its scope must expand to include a broader range of circular projects.
- Scaling up through public-private partnerships, EU-funded projects like FIC-Fighters, and improved coordination across EU institutions, Member States, and local authorities is critical to industrialise urban mining.
She concluded with a strong commitment: “Urban mining must be fully embedded in our industrial policy, environmental agenda, and funding frameworks.”
From Geoscience to Actionable Policy: Expert Interventions
EFG President and Unicalce Sustainability Project Manager David Govoni reinforced the role of geoscientific expertise in shaping local circular economy strategies:
“Geologists can help turn every city into a strategic resource hub—making Europe’s circular ambitions a reality. But this requires institutional recognition, investment in geodata infrastructure, and embedding geoscientific audits into urban planning and land reclamation policies.”
Govoni called on policymakers to:
- Integrate geoscientific audits into urban regeneration and demolition projects.
- Require subsurface screening in land reclamation initiatives.
- Recognise certified geoscience professionals as Competent Persons for quantifying urban reserves, as it is done in mining.
Spotlight on Innovation: Showcasing Cutting-Edge Solutions
During the roundtable moderated by Rudi Ruggeri (National Council of Geologists of Italy), experts presented innovative solutions across soil remediation, waste valorisation, and secondary resource recovery:
- Christian Burlet (Geological Survey of Belgium) demonstrated how geological techniques can help identify valuable materials within urban environments.
- Marco Falconi (RemTech Europe & IMPEL Network) showcased Italy’s Guidelines on Backfill Materials, highlighting the link between remediation and circularity.
- Marta Cerati (Atlantic Copper) shared insights into how the company’s CRMA Strategic Project is recovering copper from waste.
- Nino Tarantino (Italian Government Sub-Commissioner & IMPEL) highlighted best practices in managing contaminated soils through material recovery and permanent safety measures.
- Vanessa Montoya (Environmental Scientist) introduced the FIC-Fighters Horizon Europe project and its pioneering work on resource recovery from phosphogypsum waste.
A Call for Permanent Dialogue and Institutional Recognition
Silvia Paparella, General Manager of RemTech Expo, emphasised the need for ongoing collaboration:
“We must establish a permanent dialogue between experts, technologies, and political institutions. Europe has the knowledge, the competence, and the tools—we need common strategies and a shared vision.”
She announced that RemTech Expo 2025 in Ferrara will launch the International General States of Mining and Urban Mining and Resources—a forum designed to give urban mining a permanent institutional home.
Looking Ahead: From Policy to Implementation
Speakers unanimously agreed: Europe’s circular future depends on mainstreaming urban mining into policy, planning, and investment frameworks. The forthcoming Circular Economy Act (2026) and updates to the Waste Framework Directive offer timely opportunities to do so.
With strong political will, geoscientific leadership, and cross-sector collaboration, urban mining can deliver on Europe’s climate, resource, and economic goals.
“We need to act at every level—and we need to act together.” — MEP Susana Solís Pérez
