The aim of this activity is therefore to improve the knowledge base on raw materials and develop innovative solutions for the cost-effective and environmentally friendly exploration, extraction, processing, re-use, recycling and recovery of raw materials and for their substitution by economically attractive and environmentally sustainable alternatives with a lower environmental impact.

1. Welcomes the Commission Communication entitled "Tackling the challenges in Commodity markets and on raw materials" (COM(2011)0025) and in particular its broad focus on raw and recovered raw materials from mineral resources and biotic resources, its emphasis on resource efficiency and recycling, and its recognition of the importance of urban mining as a valuable source for retrieving, i.e. re-use, upcycling and recycling raw materials, and its determination to look at all three pillars of this broad challenge, namely assuring a fair and sustainable supply of raw materials from international markets, fostering sustainable supply within ...[+++]the EU and promoting resource efficiency and recycling; notes that recycling often results in downgrading the value of the material, and that more focus should be given to the upcycling of materials which would render a higher value to the retrieved material; points out the potential of re-use as a separate category, to extend the life of products and urges the Commission to develop re-use notably through its ecodesign and waste policies; regrets, however, the lack of proposals for concrete measures by the Commission and cautions that, without such measures, the stated goals are not likely to be reached;

22. Encourages the Commission to develop a recycling strategy with retrieval as close to the source of waste as possible, including the purification of waste water, as this would permit the retrieval of higher concentrations of RM, prevent irretrievability, lower the negative impact on the environment and possibly be more energy efficient;

34. Calls on the Commission to collect data on the potential in the EU of recovering raw materials through landfill mining and to develop standards for the conditions under which landfills could be excavated, including possible recovery of other resources, energy efficiency compared to the extraction of primary raw materials, possible side effects on the environment and human health (such as release of greenhouse gasses and toxic substances) and the potential for energy production and landscape restoration.

28. Calls for the active introduction and promotion of more sustainable economic models decoupled from material use, to ensure the future availability of raw materials in the EU; calls for the Commission to develop new instruments (for example 'green certificates' aiming at increasing the uptake of secondary raw materials) targeting a more efficient use of resources, avoiding rebound effects; suggests that the Commission undertake a comprehensive study on economic leasing models as alternatives to ownership of goods and their impact on material use and recovery; highlights that awareness is the main challenge in this regard;

12. Encourages the Commission to develop a recycling strategy with retrieval as close to the source of waste as possible, including the purification of waste water, as this would enable the retrieval of higher concentrations of raw material, prevent irretrievability, lower the negative impact on the environment and possibly be more energy efficient;