Rizika spojená s dovozem kritických surovin do EU a vyhodnocení aktu o kritických surovinách (CRMA)

The aim of this thesis was to identify the major risks associated with the import of selected critical raw materials into the European Union and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) as a tool for mitigating these risks. The analysis focuses on three materials—lithium, cobalt, and nickel—which play a key role in the battery value chain and are essential for the development of electromobility and the energy transition. The theoretical part of the thesis addresses the concepts of raw materials security and strategic autonomy, the definition and importance of critical raw materials, and the development of European Union policies in this area, which gradually led to the adoption of the CRMA. In the practical part, an analysis of the global market for critical raw materials is first conducted, with a focus on the geographical concentration of mining and processing. Subsequently, the imports of lithium, cobalt, and nickel into the EU are examined in detail, identifying the main suppliers, calculating the concentration of imports, and assessing the key risks associated with their supply. In the second part of the analysis, various instruments under the CRMA are presented and their effectiveness in reducing the identified risks is evaluated.