'Geoeconomics' is the buzzword in capitals around the world. Protectionism, nationalism and imperialist tendencies are on the rise again. Industrial policy, national security considerations and efforts to bolster domes-tic economic resilience have moved to the forefront. Globalisation is no longer widely regarded as a positive-sum game. It can be, and increasingly is, weaponised.

This report, that is part of the STARTER - Strategic Autonomy Rules for Trade in European Regions project, studies the territorial impact of the substitution scheme for key critical raw materials to reduce dependence on potentially unfriendly countries, in line with the European Commission's recommendations. The report analyses how granting additional trade concessions to countries with which the EU already has free trade and cooperation agreements and which have large supplies of critical raw materials would affect trade and production patterns. It also details the regional distribution of these impacts.