Overview
- France’s economy and industry ministers, who presented the plan Tuesday in Lacq, set rare-earth output goals for 2030 and new rules for how wind and auto projects buy magnets.
- The government targets heavy rare-earth oxides covering 10% of global demand, all of Europe’s heavy needs, and 25% of Europe’s light needs by 2030.
- A Franco‑Japanese refinery and recycler in Lacq is under construction and slated to start in January 2027, with Bercy projecting 3,800 tonnes of light oxides and 800 tonnes of heavy from French sites by 2030, plus 3,000 tonnes of light from Neo’s Estonia plant.
- Offshore wind bids must source less than half of their magnets from the dominant supplier country, with developers urged to include at least 25% European magnets, and carmakers must diversify magnet supply to qualify as Made in Europe and for France 2030 aid; EV purchase aid is reserved for vehicles built in Europe, with more support if the battery is also European.
- Officials cite Europe’s processing gap—about 87% of rare-earth separation and 91% of metallization occur in China—and extend the green industry investment tax credit to end‑2028 while mobilizing France 2030 funds.