PERMANET hosts Online Clustering Event to strengthen collaboration in the permanent magnet value chain

On 25 March 2026, the PERMANET project successfully hosted an online clustering session that brought together key European initiatives active across the rare earth elements (REEs), permanent magnets, and critical raw materials value chain.

The session gathered a diverse group of stakeholders — including EU-funded projects, research organisations, and industry representatives — around a common goal: strengthening cooperation, aligning efforts, and exploring synergies to support a more resilient European magnet ecosystem.

A shared ambition: from fragmentation to coordination

The event offered a broad overview of ongoing European initiatives spanning the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and recycling to manufacturing and advanced magnet innovation.

Projects including REMHub, REEsilience, SUSMAGPRO, REProMag, GREENE, and SICAPERMA presented complementary approaches to addressing some of the sector’s most pressing challenges.

A clear message emerged from the discussion: while Europe already benefits from strong technological capabilities, greater coordination is essential to fully unlock their potential.

Key challenges: beyond technology

The session highlighted that the main obstacles are not purely technological, but systemic in nature.

Participants identified several major barriers, including:

• limited economic competitiveness, with European solutions often struggling to match lower-cost imports;
• fragmentation across the ecosystem, which weakens alignment and discourages long-term investment;
• difficulties in scaling up, despite promising pilot-level results;
• and regulatory and structural barriers affecting circularity and industrial deployment.

These challenges point to the need for a coordinated response involving policy, industry, and research.

From innovation to industrial scale

Although Europe is well positioned in research and innovation, moving from pilot projects to large-scale industrial deployment remains a critical challenge.

The discussion underscored the importance of creating stable market conditions, increasing investor confidence, and ensuring stronger alignment between policy frameworks and industrial needs.

Participants also noted that recycling alone will not be sufficient to meet future demand, reinforcing the importance of diversified sourcing strategies alongside continued innovation.

Unlocking collaboration opportunities

One of the key outcomes of the session was the identification of concrete opportunities for collaboration across projects.

These include:

• joint dissemination and communication activities;
• alignment of methodologies and data, such as sustainability assessments;
• coordinated policy contributions;
• and shared approaches to education and skills development.

More broadly, the discussion stressed the importance of building a more connected and integrated European ecosystem by capitalising on existing initiatives and expertise.

Looking ahead

The PERMANET clustering session confirmed the value of bringing together complementary initiatives to foster dialogue, exchange knowledge, and identify synergies.

As Europe advances towards greater strategic autonomy in critical raw materials, such exchanges will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between innovation and industrial deployment, while supporting the development of a sustainable, circular, and resilient magnet value chain.

PERMANET will continue to build on this momentum through future clustering activities and ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the ecosystem.