Critical raw materials and the Industrial Accelerator Act : coordination challenges in the EU supply framework

This paper examines how the EU framework for critical raw materials operates under conditions of accelerated industrial demand introduced by the Industrial Accelerator Act. It builds on the work of the European Court of Auditors and focuses on how existing constraints become more binding when demand is actively driven by policy. The analysis highlights an asymmetry between the mobilisation of demand and the capacity of supply to respond, leading to timing and coordination challenges across the value chain. A comparison with the United States is used to illustrate how different policy configurations address similar constraints. The paper argues that the main issue lies not in the absence of instruments, but in how they operate together under these conditions, and identifies areas where targeted adjustments could improve policy effectiveness.