Six Nordic projects have joined the EU strategic raw materials list, with five in Finland and one in Sweden selected by the European Commission on Friday, 9 October, as part of a new effort to strengthen Europe’s access to minerals essential for industry, defence and the energy transition.
The latest round includes 46 new projects across 16 EU member states, covering materials such as copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements. According to Reuters, the projects are expected to require approximately €21.1 billion in investment.
The selection is part of the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, which aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly China, by expanding domestic extraction, processing and recycling.
Five new strategic projects in Finland
Finland accounts for five of the newly selected Nordic projects, spread across Lapland, Central Ostrobothnia and North Karelia.
According to Finnish public broadcaster Yle, the newly recognised projects are:
- Coniko, a cobalt and nickel processing project in Kokkola.
- Hautalampi, a proposed cobalt, nickel and copper mine in Outokumpu.
- Project Arctial, a planned low-carbon aluminium production facility in the Kokkola and Kronoby area.
- Sokli, a mining project in Savukoski, eastern Lapland, involving deposits containing rare earth elements and other minerals.
- Suhanko, a mining project in Ranua, southern Lapland, targeting metals including platinum, palladium, nickel and copper.
The projects represent different stages of the raw materials supply chain, from mineral extraction to industrial processing.
One of the largest industrial proposals is Arctial, which aims to establish new low-carbon aluminium production capacity in Finland. The company completed a pre-feasibility study in May 2026 and expects to make a final investment decision in 2027.
Sokli is another significant development. In February, the Finnish government announced €65 million in additional state investment to advance feasibility studies and pilot operations at the site, whose deposits include rare earth elements considered important for European industrial supply chains.
Sweden’s Viscaria copper mine receives EU recognition
In Sweden, the newly selected project is Viscaria, a copper mine near Kiruna in the country’s far north.
The mine ceased operations in 1997 and is now being prepared for reopening. According to Sweden Herald, the company aims to reach full production in 2029, following the approval of final permits in 2025.
Copper is essential for electricity networks, electric vehicles and industrial equipment, making the development of additional European production capacity an important part of the EU’s raw materials strategy.
Sweden and Finland were already prominent in the previous selection round. In March 2025, the Commission recognised six Finnish projects, including Sakatti, Keliber and Kolmisoppi. Swedish selections included LKAB’s ReeMAP rare earths initiative, Talga’s graphite project and Northvolt’s recycling project.
The Nordic dimension also extends beyond EU member states. In June 2025, the Commission designated Norway’s Nussir copper project and an integrated graphite project connecting Greenland and Norway as strategic projects located outside the EU.
What EU strategic project status means
Under the Critical Raw Materials Act, selected projects benefit from accelerated permitting procedures and assistance in securing public and private financing.
The legislation sets a maximum permit-granting period of 27 months for extraction projects and 15 months for processing and recycling projects, subject to the regulation’s procedural provisions.
However, strategic recognition does not automatically provide funding or authorise construction. Developers must still obtain the necessary national permits and secure investment.
Financing remains a significant obstacle. In September, Reuters reported that 23 projects selected in 2025 had warned the Commission about financial difficulties and delays that could jeopardise their development.
Mining ambitions raise environmental concerns
The expansion of strategic mining projects has also renewed questions about environmental protection, particularly in northern Finland, where mineral deposits sometimes overlap with protected natural areas.
One of the most controversial examples is the Sakatti project in Sodankylä, selected in 2025. The proposed mine would extend beneath the protected Viiankiaapa wetland, prompting demonstrations and opposition from environmental campaigners.
The Critical Raw Materials Act allows the strategic importance of a project to be considered when authorities assess possible exemptions under certain environmental rules. However, this does not create an automatic right to mine in protected areas.
In an August 2025 response to the European Parliament, the European Commission clarified that projects must still undergo the relevant environmental assessments. Exceptions affecting Natura 2000 sites are possible only under specific conditions, including the absence of suitable alternatives and the application of compensatory measures.
For the Nordic countries, the new selections reinforce the region’s growing importance in Europe’s industrial and raw materials strategy. Yet their eventual contribution will depend not only on EU recognition, but also on financing, environmental approvals and the ability to turn planned facilities into operational projects.
