In recent years, lithium has been used in conventional batteries for devices including smartphones and laptops, and it is also tied to rising demand for electric vehicles. The material is presented in policy discussions as part of efforts that link environmental sustainability with digitalization and electrification. Within the European Union, concerns about material sovereignty have intensified alongside the Ukraine conflict and China’s role in the battery supply chain.
EU critical raw materials policy and battery supply-chain concerns
The EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), adopted in 2023, is described as reflecting a shift toward securing access to critical raw materials such as lithium. The act emphasizes local mining to strengthen control over supply chains. EU support has also extended to lithium mining projects across member states and nearby regions.
Those projects have drawn controversy in countries including Portugal, Spain, Germany, and the Czech Republic, where local opposition has been reported. The disputes have been linked to reactions from affected communities rather than to changes in the underlying demand drivers. In this context, Serbia has been positioned in discussions about access to lithium resources during the green transition.
Rio Tinto’s Jadar Project and opposition in Serbia
Serbia, a candidate country for EU membership, has faced resistance to plans for what is described as Europe’s largest lithium mine: the Jadar Project by Rio Tinto. Opposition has been led by local residents, with farmers and agricultural workers among those who opposed the project. The stated concerns included impacts on land and the environment.
Government support for the project was accompanied by international backing, including from some Western embassies. Despite this support, mass protests in late 2021 led the Serbian government to cancel the Jadar Project before construction began. The cancellation occurred after the demonstrations drew attention to local opposition.
Balkans extractives debate and cross-border activism
The Balkans are described as a liminal space between East and West, with Serbia located within the “Western Balkans” framework used in regional discussions. Serbia’s EU accession process has been paired with contestation over extractive frontiers tied to lithium mining. This has placed lithium proposals within broader debates about integration and resource access.
Resistance in Serbia has also been connected to wider international movements against colonial extractivism through reported solidarity from groups outside Serbia. In 2022, activists signed the Jadar Declaration, with signatories listed from Chile, Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Serbia. The declaration is presented as opposing lithium extraction while calling for alternatives grounded in land stewardship.