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A28 world news
Diabierna 4 September 2020

E.U. unveils plan to secure raw materials, cut dependency

By LORNE COOK believes that the EU’s mining
Associated Press potential is underused.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Wor- “We need to diversify supply
ried by an increasing depen- and make better use of the re-
dency on the raw materials sources within the European
used to make smart phones, Union, where we would ap-
televisions and energy-saving ply the highest environmen-
lights, the European Union tal and social standards to that
on Thursday launched a new effect,” Sefcovic told report-
strategy to secure access to ers in Brussels.
rare earth minerals and to The strategy aims to set up a
reduce reliance on suppliers European Raw Materials Alli-
like Chile, China and South ance with industry, investors,
Africa. the European Investment
The EU is predicted to need Bank, EU member countries
around 60 times more lithi- and others to help secure raw
um and 15 times more cobalt mineral supply chains. The
for electric vehicle batteries commission wants to start a
and energy storage by 2050. partnership with Canada and
Its demand for rare earth ma- interested African countries
terials in permanent magnets starting next year.
used in several technologies The EU also wants to study
could increase 10-fold over ways to reuse, repair and re-
the same period. cycle products that use rare
The coronavirus pandemic is earth minerals.
highlighting the world’s in- The commission said that
creasing reliance on electron- European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton shows a map of Europe as he talks to while recycling works well in
ics and technology for remote journalists during an online news conference at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, Sept. Europe, less than 1% of prod-
work, education and com- 3, 2020. ucts containing the compo-
munication, and the 27-na- Associated Press nents are actually recovered
tion EU enters a widening to be treated.
race to secure supplies for its change our approach,” Euro- lower environmental and so- China. Turkey supplies 98% The goal is to map the pos-
communications, health, de- pean Commission Vice-Pres- cial standards, less freedoms, of its borate, while Chile sible supply of critical raw
fense and space sectors along ident Maros Sefcovic said. (and) poor, unsustainable meets 78% of Europe’s lith- materials in EU stocks and
with the United States, Chi- “We are largely dependent on economies.” ium needs. South Africa pro- waste, as well as to iden-
na and Japan. unsustainable raw materials The EU gets around 98% of vides 71% of its platinum. tify projects to help recover
“We have to drastically from countries with much its rare earth minerals from The European Commission them, by 2022.q

100 million discounted meals eaten in U.K. during August

government within five days. By the end of August, the around 20%.
Critics say the scheme was cutoff point, the government “From the get-go, our mis-
short-term gimmick by the said the scheme had cost it sion has been to protect jobs,
government to court public 522 million pounds ($680 and to do this we needed to be
favor following a series of million), 22 million pounds creative, brave and try things
missteps on the coronavirus more than estimated. that no government has ever
front and merely shifted din- Citing figures from the on- done before,” he said.
ing habits from the end of the line reservation company, Restaurants and other food
week to the start. Open Table, it said early- outlets such as pubs were only
Many say the scheme did not week business in August was allowed to reopen on July 4,
change the underlying dy- up by more than 50% from more than three months af-
namics facing the industry, as the year before. ter they were closed as part of
summer turns to winter and That’s a sharp contrast to July, lockdown measures to fight
people will be largely forced when restrictions were eased the spread of coronavirus.
to eat indoors, which is more and restaurant bookings were Britain has Europe’s highest
conducive to spreading the down 54% on average from death toll in the pandemic at
A man walks past the Department for Digital, Culture, Media virus. Mondays to Wednesdays. over 41,600 people.
and Sport in London's Whitehall, around the old normal morn- Lorenzo Nargi, co-director For Aug. 31, it said bookings David Page, chairman of
ing time 'rush hour', in central London, Thursday Sept. 3, 2020. of three Lorenzo Italian res- were up 216% from the same Fulham Shore, which owns
Associated Press taurants in southeast London, day in 2019. The Real Greek chain, said
said the scheme was not good Treasury chief Rishi Sunak the scheme “immediately”
By PAN PYLAS lot more as participating eat- for structure of the business said the scheme helped pro- increased customer numbers
Associated Press eries have until the end of and that customers had fallen tect the jobs of 1.8 million by over 50%, enabling it to
LONDON (AP) — Around September to make claims. sharply on non-discounted people working in the hospi- get staff back to work.
100 million discounted meals Under the program, sitting days. tality sector and boosted the “In fact, we are now creating
were eaten by British diners customers could receive a “All this has done is messed us country’s economic recovery new jobs, by hiring and train-
during August as part of a 50% discount on food and about,” he said. “It ultimately from the coronavirus-reces- ing more people as fast as we
government drive to encour- non-alcoholic drinks at par- stripped revenue from other sion, which saw economic can,” he said.q
age nervous customers back ticipating restaurants be- days.” output in Britain shrink by
to restaurants. tween Monday and Wednes-
Figures published Friday day up to 10 pounds ($13)
by the Treasury department per person.
show that the so-called “Eat Food outlets from Michelin-
Out to Help Out” scheme starred outlets to internation-
for August cost more than al burger chains then get the
envisioned. It is set to cost a discount reimbursed by the