On 10 October 2024, a high-level meeting took place at the headquarters of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute in Warsaw to discuss the raw material security of the Visegrad Group countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) and the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Serbia).

The event was attended by representatives of the governments and geological services of these countries and representatives of the European Commission. The meeting was held as part of the Polish Presidency in the Visegrad Group.

During opening of the conference, Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, Chief National Geologist Prof. Krzysztof Galos presented the priorities and directions of the Polish government's activities related to the implementation of the country's raw materials policy, which include activities in the domestic and international arenas.

'Securing access to critical raw materials will be a huge challenge for us, so cooperation with neighbouring countries, especially the Visegrad Group and the Western Balkans, should be strengthened above all,' said Prof. Krzysztof Galos.

During the discussion, participants had the opportunity to present their governments' priorities for ensuring the raw material security of their respective countries. During the meeting, the importance and role of the geological surveys in this process was emphasized, and examples of the tasks they carry out were pointed out. The discussions also allowed to identify common elements and possible joint activities in the implementation of the V4 Group's raw materials policy.

Discussion during the meeting

It was possible to exchange experiences on the tasks carried out by the geological surveys, the balance of mineral resources and prospects for mining development in the context of strategic and critical raw materials, as well as national import and export structures for raw materials. An important element was also the discussion of national implementation of the new EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) as a set of measures to ensure stable and sustainable access to critical raw materials in the EU. Thanks to the presence of the European Commission in the person of Joaquim Nunes de Almeida, Director at DG GROW, participants had the opportunity to discuss problematic issues regarding the implementation of the CRMA and to learn about the current status regarding its implementation. The talks also focused on the possibility of cooperation in the raw material field.

The main event accompanying the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Geological Services of the Visegrad countries, in the presence of Deputy Minister Krzysztof Galos and Peter Holica, Deputy State Secretary for EU Affairs and International Relations at the Hungarian Ministry of Energy. The memorandum updates a document signed by the V4 countries in 2000, and confirms, among other things, the conduct of joint activities aimed at ensuring raw material security through critical raw materials projects.

Representatives of the V4 countries after signing the agreement, from left: Director Krzysztof Szamałek, Deputy Director Bence Gonda, Director Zdenek Venera, Director Radovan Piško

The scope of cooperation between the participants will include:

• joint actions to ensure raw material security through critical raw material projects of V4 and EU member states,
• studying climate change from a geological perspective,
• geological history of the Carpathians,
• geohazards and geodynamic processes in the Carpathians,
• geological and hydrogeological processes in border areas,
• geological educational maps, geoparks, geo-trails,
• exchange of geological literature, documentation and materials,
• joint research programmes,
• joint projects,
• exchange of visits by scientists and specialists, as well as exchange of scientific and technical information and knowledge. 

The term of the memorandum is set for 10 years.

On the next day, the meeting participants had the opportunity to visit the Kłodawa Salt Mine, as well as – as the first excursion – to see the newly built PGI-NRI core storage facility in Leszcze.