11th Greek Raw Materials Community Dialogue 2026

About the event

The Greek Raw Materials Community Dialogue is the flagship annual meeting of the Greek raw materials community, supported by EIT RawMaterials. Now in its 11th edition, it brings together industry, research, policy and finance to discuss where the sector is heading and what Greece needs to get there.

This year's edition comes at a key moment. In December 2025, the European Commission adopted RESourceEU, its action plan to secure critical raw materials and reduce Europe's strategic dependencies. With around €3 billion mobilised for 2026, faster permitting for strategic projects and a new European Critical Raw Materials Centre to coordinate supply, the EU has moved from setting targets to delivering them.

For Greece, this is both an opportunity and a challenge. The country's resources and expertise make it a key contributor to Europe's goals. Turning that potential into results will take faster permitting, access to capital, modern operations and a skilled workforce.

Programme

The Dialogue is built around three panel sessions and a closing poster session.

Session 1 — The role of Greece in implementing RESourceEU

RESourceEU aims to turn the Critical Raw Materials Act into results. Greece hosts designated strategic projects that feed directly into supply chains Europe now considers essential, from energy and batteries to defence and digital technology.

This panel looks at how the framework works in practice, focusing on Greece's strategic projects within a wider European perspective:

• Where do Greece's strategic projects stand today?
• What does faster permitting actually require?
• How can UNFC reporting and prioritisation build a real project pipeline?

Session 2 — De-risking investments in the Greek raw materials sector

The Draghi report estimated Europe's investment needs in raw materials at between €10 and €100 billion. RESourceEU offers coordination and de-risking tools, including InvestEU guarantees and EIB lending. But public funding alone is not enough. Projects move forward when private investors see value and believe the risk is manageable.

This panel asks:

• What makes a Greek mining or processing project investable?
• Which tools work best: blended finance, offtake agreements or price protections?
• How can Greek projects attract capital in highly competitive markets?

Session 3 — Future-ready: talent, AI and the digital transformation of the raw materials sector

AI and digital tools are changing how the industry works, from orebody modelling and digital twins to real-time process monitoring. Traceability and the EU's digital product passport are next. But technology is only as strong as the people behind it.

This panel explores how technology and talent can advance together:

• How do we move AI and digital projects from pilots into full operation?
• How can Greece use these tools to reskill its workforce?
• How can the sector attract new talent and present itself as a modern, technology-led career path?

Poster session — Innovation across the Greek raw materials value chain

The Dialogue closes with a look ahead. Projects funded by the European Commission, EIT RawMaterials and national programmes will present their work, from new processing and recycling methods to digital tools and advanced materials. It is the place for researchers, start-ups and industry leaders to meet, exchange ideas and find partners for collaboration.