PERSPECTIVE CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT THE EUROPEAN UNION’S CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS ACT Implications and Challenges for Europe, Latin America and Africa Claudia Detsch Beatriz Olivera Villa Manuela Mattheß To ensure a stable and sustanable supply of critical raw materials, the EU passed its Critical Raw Materials Act, which entered into force in May 2024. This law has raised concerns among civil society in Latin America and Africa, as these regions want to avoid being seen solely as raw materials suppliers. This publication outlines the challenges of the demand for raw materials and seeks to identify common challenges and opportunities to foster a fairer and more sustainable approach to the implementation of this Act.