EU cynically pushes lithium mining in Serbia

From an environmental point of view, the EU’s push for lithium mining in Serbia – expressed in official visits and public support for private initiatives – has been perceived as an attempt to “greenwash” its energy policies. It promotes electric vehicles while ignoring the environmental costs and social impact of the mining practices on which they are based. The EU is also trying to ensure a stable supply of lithium to reduce addiction on non-European suppliers, especially China. Although the Jadar mining project would meet almost all of the EU’s lithium demand, it has also raised concerns among environmentalists who say such mining activities could pollute the surrounding areas of agricultural land, forests and water sources.

Many people in the most affected areas believe that the planned mining would severely affect their livelihoods and even trigger displacement. However, the EU’s response to these concerns has been a flat refusal to take them seriously, with an official position claiming that raw materials partnerships between the EU and Serbia enable “socially and environmentally responsible mining.” Member states seem to prioritize resource extraction and their own “green” interests over concerns about the environment or what it means to people locally.

Many senior EU officials have praised the project in Serbia, but have remained relatively silent on lithium mining in EU member states that are themselves rich in lithium resources. For example, the largest European reserves are found in Germany and the Czech Republic Republic, before Serbia. European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič is an admirer of the mining project, suggesting that Serbia could become the first European country with “the entire value chain”, ranging from lithium mining to electric vehicle production. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that through the Jadar project, Europe will ensure sovereignty and independence in sourcing raw materials in a changing world. Commission President von der Leyen’s visit to Serbia at the end of October only confirmed the EU’s support for the lithium mining project. It praised the government’s actions “to enable Serbia to become a leader in the battery and electric vehicle industry.”

One reason why the mining project could be approved faster in Serbia than in countries that i am EU member states is that the latter have stricter environmental policies that require more time and legal control to approve mining projects. Serbia thus provides a kind of loophole, cynically used by the EU to push for mining initiatives outside its own legal and bureaucratic framework.

Currently, the EU is almost completely dependent on imports not only for lithium but also for other raw materials that are essential for its green transition. In 2023, the European Commission proposed Law of critical raw materialssetting objectives that by 2030, European mines and recycling centers will produce 10% and 25% respectively of the raw materials needed by the EU’s green industries. The EU has actively sought ways to become greener and less dependent on imports of non-European raw materials.

For lithium, the EU needs suppliers other than China, which remains the largest lithium exporter in Europe and the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles. China’s production of more accessible electric vehicles poses a threat to the German economy, which is heavily dependent on the automotive industry. Furthermore, Germany plans to build fifteen million electric vehicles by 2030, in line with the EU’s climate change commitments.

For its green agenda, the EU urgently needs European lithium suppliers. Serbia, although a non-member state and a candidate country in a protracted accession process, looks like a perfect opportunity for the EU to circumvent its strict environmental policies and reduce its dependence on China’s lithium exports. The Serbian government, led by the autocratic ruling party of President Aleksandar Vučić, embraced this opportunity to gain short-term economic and political advantages. She sees the mining project as political leverage in its relations with the EU.

Even though both EU officials and the Serbian government emphasize the economic benefits of the Jadar project, especially for Serbia, such advocacy has a darker side.

While officials tout the project as crucial to economic development, job creation and boosting local businesses, its real agenda is more focused on maximizing profits for foreign investors. Lithium mining in Serbia is mainly operated by foreign companieslike Rio Tinto, and the profits generated from the project are likely to flow back to the company’s home country, limiting any long-term economic benefit to Serbia. There is a justified concern that Serbia could become a “resource colony”, meets the demands of wealthier nations focused on green technologies.

In July, the Serbian government restored Rio Tinto’s license to mine the valuable mineral in the Jadar Valley comes shortly after the Constitutional Court ruled that a previous government had acted improperly in halting the project following protests. President Vučić continues to openly support the project and the company, using government-controlled news channels to broadcast this message in numerous public appearances.

The planned mine is located in predominantly agricultural areas and near abundant river courses. Even beyond the concern that mining operations could pollute the soil and water, local people are threatened with displacement from their land by the potential state seizureacting on behalf of corporate interests if owners refuse to sell. If the mine becomes operational, there is concern that long-term economic development from local agricultural productivity, especially in such a pristine and fertile environment, could be replaced by temporary benefits for only a minority of Serbs.

It might seem far-fetched to predict a ‘Mad Max’ scenario marked by extreme social collapse, resource conflicts and lawlessness. But some elements of such a situation could become a reality in Serbia, depending on how key players – governments, corporations and local communities – approach the problems that mining could bring.

If lithium mining causes significant disruption, disputes over land use and water rights could easily arise. In addition, severe ecological damage caused by mining could create shortages of essential resources such as clean water and fertile land, potentially triggering mass migration and social unrest. Given the Serbian government’s authoritarian tendencies, any unrest resulting from resource scarcity is likely to be met with severe government repression, perpetuating a cycle of violence and disorder.

EU officials have shown a striking level of hypocrisy regarding lithium mining in Serbia. The EU created what was called a the green paradox surrounding electric vehicles and the mining of lithium on which their production is based. If the EU claims to be a beacon of democracy and fairness, these are exactly the values ​​it is now trampling underfoot in Serbia.