Santiago Cuesta López, General Director of the National Cluster for Sustainable Mining of the Iberian Peninsula (ISMC), has defended in Brussels the key role of Spain and its regions in building a more competitive, resilient, and autonomous Europe in terms of access to critical raw materials.

During the Implementation Dialogue on EU Financing and Regional Competitiveness, organised by the European Commission and chaired by Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Cuesta López emphasised that the energy transition, electric mobility, and digitalisation depend on resources such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earths—areas in which Spain holds unique potential.

Critical Raw Materials: Spain’s Strategic Opportunity

The ISMC director underlined the importance of creating complete value chains—from exploration to recycling—to guarantee Europe’s industrial autonomy. He also proposed new financial mechanisms to overcome the “valley of death” that hinders many innovative SMEs, while calling for a multi-level approach that engages civil society, local communities, companies, and institutions from the outset.

“Spain has a unique potential in critical raw materials, and we must manage it with responsibility and foresight,” stressed Cuesta López.

Greater Investment and Cohesion for Regional Innovation

Another key message was the need for greater investment tailored to local realities and more agile access to EU funds, including measures such as one-stop shops, digitalised permits, and financial instruments that support companies from the pilot phase through to market entry.

Cuesta López insisted that the cohesion policy must act as a true “European operating system”, connecting funding, regional missions, and innovation to transform local resources into sustainable, impactful projects.

Castilla y León and Andalusia: Europe’s Strategic Hubs

With headquarters in León and Seville, ISMC is driving projects that position Castilla y León and Andalusia as strategic regions for sustainable mining and industrial innovation:

• Castilla y León is focusing on the sustainable use of its natural resources to produce engineered wood, biochemicals, and circular fibre products, while also hosting pilot plants for processing critical raw materials.

• Andalusia, thanks to its strategic ports and its mining and aerospace tradition, is set to become a logistics and export hub for low-carbon materials, strengthening competitiveness across the value chain.

“From our regions, we are proving that it is possible to set the pace towards a greener, more digital, and smarter industry, generating skilled jobs and reinforcing local competitiveness,” said Cuesta López.

ISMC: European Leadership in Sustainable Mining

ISMC has established itself as an international benchmark in sustainable mining and circularity. Over the past year alone, the cluster has mobilised more than €150 million in European projects and currently participates in over 20 initiatives that strengthen the strategic supply of critical raw materials, boost the recycling of magnets and batteries, and apply Industry 4.0 technologies to the sector.

Founded in 2018, ISMC brings together more than 90 companies, research centres, universities, and public administrations. Its mission is clear: to promote sustainability, circularity, and competitiveness in the mining and critical raw materials sector in Spain and across Europe.

.