Expert Forum: Rare Earths and Magnets SIGN
Towards a concerted Action for European Rare Earth Magnets Value Chain
As the European Commission advances the Critical Raw Materials Act and prepares the RESourceEU Plan, Europe is entering a decisive phase: moving beyond upstream ambition toward full value chain execution. This conference will focus on translating policy into bankable projects and downstream industrial capacity by aligning demand visibility, financing instruments, and strategic coordination across the value chain. Bringing together industry leaders, OEMs, financiers, and policymakers, the event will define concrete actions to de-risk investment, secure offtakes, and establish globally competitive European rare earth ecosystems.
About the Forum
Hosted by EIT RawMaterials, this Expert Forum combines strategic policy dialogue with industry perspectives, market intelligence, technology showcases and hands-on collaboration.
The programme will explore themes spanning from Europe’s rare earth supply-and-demand outlook, the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act and related European initiatives, global competitive pressures, technology and manufacturing gaps, and the demand-side mechanisms required to make European projects investable.
Across two days, participants will take part in multiple forms of discussions and project showcases, networking activities, a factory visit programme and an invite-only working group focused on translating the Forum’s discussions into concrete actions.
Key Themes
- Europe’s strategic position: Understanding global and European rare earth supply-and-demand dynamics, strategic dependencies and the implications of changing international markets.
- Competitiveness and strategic autonomy: Examining how Europe can address structural cost disadvantages and create a level playing field for domestic rare earth and magnet production.
- Technology leadership: Exploring advances in metallisation, permanent magnet manufacturing, testing, validation, recycling and next-generation production technologies.
- Market creation and offtakes: Assessing how automotive, wind, defence and other major end-users can provide the demand visibility and long-term commitments needed to unlock investment.
- Concerted action: Bringing key stakeholders together to validate priorities, responsibilities and next steps for strengthening Europe’s rare earth and magnet ecosystem.
Why Attend?
including OEMs, policymakers, technology providers and investors shaping Europe’s rare earth and magnet strategy.
into future demand, domestic supply, and the strategic gaps shaping the competitiveness of Europe's rare earth and magnet value chains.
needed to scale European rare earth and magnet production.
For EIT RawMaterials' innovation, education and ecosystem activities.
Build high-level relationships with industrial partners, technology providers, investors and customers, including opportunities linked to the CRM Facility framework
Coordinating priorities across the rare earth and permanent magnet value chain.
What's Included?
- Interactive Session: Industry-focused Starter Packs for the Raw Materials and Advanced Materials Academies, identifying priority skills and knowledge gaps with participants.
- Presentations: Technology Gaps, Europe's Demand, Domestic Supply Potential, Supply Gaps, and Strategic Dependencies.
- Networking Dinner: Continue discussions and build partnerships across industry, policy, research and investment communities.
- Working Group: Securing Europe's Rare Earth Materials Value Chain (Invite Only).
Who Should Attend?
- EIT RawMaterials partners
- Rare Earths and Magnets Industry Leaders
- Policymakers and public authorities
- Investors and financial institutions
- Universities and research organisations
- Technology providers and start-ups
Agenda
3 November | |
| 08.30-09.00 |
Registration
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| 09.00-9.15 | Opening: Europe’s Strategic situation on overall raw materials equation
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| 09.15-9.45 | Role of ReSourceEU plan, CRMA, IAA, CEA for rawmaterials sector and importance of international partnership to de-risk the supply chains and EU initiatives for resilient supply chain
|
| 09:45-10:00 | Keynote Speech: Building a REEsilient magnet supply chain
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| 10:00-10:15 | Presentation: Supply and demand dynamics; export controls, price variations and forecast per application use
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| 10:15-10:45 |
Coffee Break
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| 10:45-11:15 | Fireside Chat: European Industrial Competitiveness and Strategic Autonomy
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| 11:15-12:00 | Panel: Europe's Rare Earth Value Chain: Competitiveness and Global Market
This panel will examine how Europe can strengthen industrial competitiveness in the face of cost disadvantages and market distortions, particularly from China. Discussions will focus on policy tools such as state aid, trade defence measures, green premium mechanisms, Contracts for Difference (CfDs), quotas, and tariffs to create a level playing field, support domestic industry, and enhance supply chain resilience.
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| 12:00-13:00 |
Lunch
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| 13:00-13:15 | Keynote: Technology Leadership and making the best magnet
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| 13:15-14:00 | Panel: Building the Magnet Value Chain in Europe: Technology, Testing and Validation
This panel will address the key gaps in Europe’s magnet value chain, from metallisation to advanced magnet manufacturing. It will explore emerging technology pathways, including sintered and bonded magnets as well as recycling-based production, and discuss how integration with circularity and EU-supported projects can strengthen a resilient, competitive, and sustainable European magnet ecosystem.
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| 14:00-14:15 | Keynote: Strategic pathways to de-risk Rare Earth Value Chain in Europe
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| 15:15-15:00 | Panel: Market Creation & Sector specific demand Pull This panel will focus on how demand-side commitments from key end-users such as automotive, wind, and defence OEMs can accelerate investment in European supply chains. Discussions will cover structuring long-term offtake agreements, including price floors and indexation models, as well as the role of EU-level platforms in aggregating demand to provide stronger market signals and improve bankability across the value chain.
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| 15:00-15:30 |
Showcase: Disruptive Business Initiatives
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| 15:30-15:50 | Heavy Rare Earth Supply: Sustainability and Feasibility
Latest developments and perspectives from research and industry on Life Cycle Assessment and sustainability across the European rare earth value chain, including a comparison of the environmental performance and sustainability advantages of primary versus secondary production.
|
| 15:50-16:20 |
Coffee Break
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| 16:20-16:50 | Interactive Session: Industry-Focused Starter Packs for the Raw Materials and Advanced Materials Academies
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| 16:50-17:20 |
Pitching: EU Project Clustering (on go-to market strategy)
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| 17:20-17:30 |
Closing remarks
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| 17:30-21:00 |
Networking and Dinner
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4 November | |
| 11:00 – 13:00 |
REE Closed Working Group (SIGN Members) (Invite Only)
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Agenda may be subject to change.
Hotels
Stay at one of our participating hotels to benefit from preferred rates, great amenities, and close access to the Rare Earths and Magnets SIGN Expert Forum, while making the most of your networking opportunities.
Registration
Join Europe's leading rare earths and magnets value chain community in Turin this November — connect with industry leaders, OEMs, policymakers and investors shaping Europe's strategy, and get data-driven insights into demand, supply and strategic gaps.
Also happening in Turin: Battery Materials SIGN Expert Forum, 4–5 November
The Rare Earths and Magnets SIGN is one of four Strategic Impact Group Networks convened through EIT RawMaterials' Expert Forum Series. Directly following this Forum, the same venue hosts the Battery Materials SIGN Expert Forum. Both are convened by EIT RawMaterials and scheduled back-to-back by design.
Europe's electrification runs on two supply chains, not one. Rare earths and magnets determine what powers the motor; battery materials determine what powers the cell. The same automotive OEMs and manufacturers must secure both.
If your remit spans both, secure your place at both events. Seats are limited and are expected to fill fast.
