U.S.& EU Align on Critical Minerals Supply Chain Resilience

May 4, 2026
By: Chaney A. Finn

For many of us, life as we know consists of many luxuries that we take for granted (lest we easily forget) to perform our daily activities. These luxuries, and most everything else for that matter, are made possible because of semiconductors, or microchips (“chips”) either in the product itself, or used in the production process in some form along the way.

Consequently, the immense utilization of chips across industry and application impose certain economic and national security implications. The gravity of strategic importance increases exponentially when considering the current U.S. dependence of foreign suppliers, primarily in China, for chips and the critical minerals used to produce them. Supply chain disruptions carry significant ramifications, as evidenced by the chip shortage crisis caused from various market volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the U.S. continues implementing measures to prevent similar shortages caused from upstream disruptions.

The latest development in the saga occurred on April 24, 2026, when the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the European Union launched a joint Action Plan to strengthen critical minerals supply chains. Announced by Ambassador Jamieson Greer alongside EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, the initiative establishes a formal framework to coordinate trade policies to reduce market distortions associated with “non-market” practices, and advance toward a binding plurilateral agreement on critical minerals trade. Specifically, the plan would address supply chain vulnerabilities and support domestic production to increase the industrial competitiveness of downstream industries. Notably, the alignment comes ahead of President Trumps’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, reportedly on May 14-15.

Should you have any questions regarding semiconductors, critical minerals, or any other trade-related question, do not hesitate to contact any attorney at Barnes, Richardson & Colburn LLP.