The European Commission has released a question-and-answer clarification document concerning strategic projects in the field of critical raw materials. The publication aims to clarify the criteria and conditions under which projects can obtain strategic status within the framework of the EU's policy to ensure the security of supplies of raw materials necessary for key economic sectors. According to the document, a project is considered strategic if it makes a significant contribution to supplying the European Union with critical raw materials — resources that are important for sectors such as renewable energy, digital technologies, defense industry, and aerospace. This initiative is part of a broader EU strategy to reduce dependence on raw material imports from third countries and strengthen its own production and processing capacities. The European Commission emphasizes that granting a project strategic status may entail simplified administrative procedures, expedited permit review, and possible access to financial support from European institutions. Such measures are aimed at encouraging investment in the extraction, processing, and recycling of critical raw materials within the European Union and in partner countries. This initiative fits within the context of the EU's overall policy to strengthen economic and industrial security in the face of growing geopolitical competition for access to strategic resources such as lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements, and other materials necessary for the energy transition and digitalization.