Critical Materials & Battery Value Chains Europe 2026 is a two-day European event bringing together research, industry and policy actors to address the strategic, technological and societal challenges shaping the upstream battery value chain in Europe.
Aligned with Horizon Europe priorities and the implementation of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), and supporting the EU’s RESourceEU Action Plan to secure and diversify supply, strengthen resilience and accelerate deployment of critical raw materials value chains, the event will focus on accelerating responsible sourcing, sustainable processing and policy coherence for lithium and related critical raw materials.
18 May 2026 (12:00 – 17:30) – Expert Focus Groups
The first day will be dedicated to in-depth, structured expert discussions on four key domains that strongly influence research and innovation (R&I), regulatory implementation and industrial deployment in the European upstream battery ecosystem.
The format will prioritise small-group exchanges, cross-working-group interaction and systems thinking, addressing impacts on society, the environment and business.
· Focus Group A – Processing & Recycling. In collaboration with BATMASS project
Chair: Prof. Dr. Alexandre Chagnes (University of Lorraine).
Co-Chair: Prof. Marcello Colledani (Polytechnic University of Milan).
· Focus Group B – Exploration & Mining. Promoted by Li4Life project
Chair: Prof. Dr. Juan Maria Aguado (University of Oviedo)
Co-Chair: Juha Kaija (GTK)
· Focus Group C – Sustainability, LCA & Battery Passport. In collaboration with BASE project
Chairs: Prof. Dr. Guido Sonnemann (University of Bordeaux), Prof. Dr. Morgan Storm Scoville-S. (University of Agder).
Co-Chair: Dr. Shahin Jamali (BASE project)
· Focus Group D – Policy & Framework Conditions. In collaboration with PERMANET project
Chair: Dr. Xochitl Dominguez-Benetton (Equinor).
Co-Chair: Mr. David Sanjuan (ISMC)
This focus group session will bring together leading experts to support the implementation of the EU’s RESourceEU Action Plan, contributing to efforts to secure and diversify the supply of critical raw materials across Europe. Through structured exchange, participants will identify key research and innovation gaps along the upstream CRM value chain, strengthen European collaboration through targeted networking, and exchange views on upcoming Horizon Europe calls and joint proposal opportunities.
19 May 2026 (9:00 – 13:00) – High-Level Policy Seminar
Link registration: https://elithium.odoo.com/event/critical-materials-battery-value-chains-europe-2026-policy-seminar-5/register
The second day will host a high-level seminar focusing on policy-relevant and societally critical topics related to lithium and critical raw materials, including:
· Social Licence to Operate (SLO)
· Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the lithium value chain
· The European Battery Passport
· Policy alignment under the Critical Raw Materials Act
The seminar will foster dialogue between EU institutions, regional authorities, industry leaders and the research community, bridging policy objectives with operational realities.
Why attend?
· Engage directly with the implementation challenges of the CRMA
· Connect upstream activities with sustainability, policy and market needs
· Join a growing European community committed to resilient, responsible and competitive battery value chains
· Shape future Europe research and innovation agendas
