Media, page-1702

The EU has introduced, on 16.3.23. its Critical Raw Materials Act - designed to compete, with similar funding etc., with the US IR Act (which will provide c. US $580b new govt. spending, subsidies, & tax breaks for the local US EV & battery etc. revolution). Ni is a prescribed " critical raw material" by the EU CRM Act.

Vietnam already has a Free Trade Agreement with the EU- & the CRM Act allows for special EU funding with compiant non-EU countries also, for strategic raw materials acquisition.

It will be interesting to see if BSX obtains funding from the EU (the EU would also find BSX's very green, low CO2 mining & refinery emissions very attractive- no hugely dirty Ni latrerites).

euroobserver.com 16.3.23 said

"The commission will also set out 'strategic projects' within and OUTSIDE of Europe, which would get streamlined access to permits and FINANCING. For this, the EU will seek new partnerships across the globe to meet demand, which according to Breton will be FIVE TO SIX times higher in 2030...

Breton [EU Commissioner] also claimed the EU offer could be interesting for resource countries because of the focus on environmental and humanitarian standards. "Resources are a source of opportunity but also a source of pain as well, if they are extracted in a brutal way either by partners who don't take ENVIRONMENTAL (all emphases, mine) considerations into account or if surrounding countries steal it," Breton said.

https://euobserver.com/green-economy/156838