Dutch dependency on critical raw materials

About this publication

There is growing international and national attention for the dependency on, and security of supply of, critical raw materials. This century has even been called the “century of mining” (Bakker, 2025a). The present publication is the second CBS study on the Dutch dependency on critical raw materials from other countries, such as China. It updates the first study (Bohn et al., 2023a) and adds new elements, including the footprint of critical materials and results at the material level.

Reader’s guide
Chapter 1 explains the relevance of the topic and outlines the European definition of critical raw materials. The focus then shifts to Dutch imports of these materials. Chapter 2 quantifies the position of the Netherlands within the EU as an importer of critical raw materials. Chapter 3 describes how Dutch imports have developed over time. Chapter 4 highlights the main countries of consignment (the last countries from which the materials were shipped). Chapter 5 examines not the critical raw materials themselves, but the products in which they are embedded.

Chapters 6, 7 and 8 use value chain analysis to provide further insights. Chapter 6 looks at the destination of Dutch imports of critical raw materials: re-exports, indirect exports, or use in the Dutch market. It also covers importing industries and indirect dependencies. Chapter 7 addresses dependencies in various supply chains. Chapter 8 adds an important sustainability perspective to this study: the ecological footprint of imports of critical raw materials.

Chapter 9 departs from the implicit top-down approach of the previous chapters. Those mainly focused on critical raw materials with large import values or weights, leaving others less visible. This chapter presents the key findings at the level of each material, regardless of their importance in terms of import value or weight. It summarises the annexes of this publication, which examine each material separately.