The Council of the EU’s CRMA infographic/page (covering strategic/critical raw materials, explicitly including light and heavy rare earth elements) includes an update stating a Council position was adopted on 4 March 2026 supporting proposed changes tied to security of supply and circularity, with references to provisions relevant to permanent magnets and related information obligations (e.g., product information/product passport concepts). This is not an official journal publication of an implementing act, but it is an official institutional update that can affect compliance planning by signaling the EU’s legislative/implementation direction for REE-related supply-chain and downstream product information requirements.
The U.S. Department of State published a release on the 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial that references U.S. funding initiatives tied to critical minerals, including a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to establish a Rare Earth Elements (REE) Demonstration Facility (referenced as dated Dec. 1, 2025 within the release). While programmatic rather than a binding regulation, it can affect compliance-relevant expectations for project eligibility, supply-chain due diligence, and procurement requirements for organizations seeking to participate in U.S.-supported REE initiatives.
The European Commission reported that the second selection round/call for Strategic Projects under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) has closed, with 160+ project applications. The update notes that 21 applications focus on rare earth elements (REEs) for permanent magnets. For compliance and supply-chain teams, this signals CRMA implementation progress and helps identify which REE/magnet projects may obtain (or be seeking) Strategic Project status, which can influence permitting timelines, due-diligence assumptions, and sourcing/ramp-up planning for REE permanent magnet supply chains.
A presidential proclamation issued following a Section 232 investigation addresses U.S. national security concerns related to imports of processed critical minerals and derivative products, explicitly highlighting rare earth elements and rare earth permanent magnets as vital downstream products with U.S. import reliance. For compliance teams, this is a formal U.S. trade/national-security action that can drive new import adjustment measures and downstream implementing actions (e.g., coverage definitions, potential future implementing directions), warranting monitoring for supply-chain and import compliance impacts on REE-related products (especially magnets).
MOFCOM Announcement No. 1 (2026) announces strengthened export controls on dual-use items destined for Japan. The measure prohibits exports of dual-use items to Japan for military end users, military end use, and other end users/end uses that help enhance Japan’s military capability. It also asserts liability for any organization/person in any country/region that transfers PRC-origin dual-use items to Japanese entities in violation. For PRC critical minerals compliance programs, this increases required end-use/end-user screening and diversion risk management for shipments involving Japan where controlled or potentially dual-use mineral products (including rare-earth/critical-mineral related items) may be implicated under PRC export control frameworks.
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) published Special Report 04/2026 evaluating the EU’s approach to securing critical raw materials for the energy transition, explicitly covering rare earth elements (including REEs for permanent magnets). While not a binding legal amendment, the report is compliance-relevant as it highlights CRMA-related supply concentration risk (including the CRMA 2030 benchmark that no more than 65% of each strategic raw material should originate from a single non‑EU country), and identifies implementation gaps (e.g., permitting bottlenecks, funding clarity, and strategic project call delays) that may affect planning, sourcing risk, and future EU implementation measures impacting REE supply chains.
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) published Special Report 04/2026 assessing the EU’s approach to securing critical raw materials for the energy transition, including rare earth elements (light/heavy REEs and REEs for permanent magnets). While not a binding legal change, the report is compliance-relevant because it evaluates CRMA implementation and flags vulnerabilities likely to drive follow-up actions (e.g., monitoring, permitting streamlining, and implementation focus). The report reiterates the CRMA’s 2030 resilience benchmark (no more than 65% single-country dependency for each strategic raw material) and notes that processing-stage dependency exceeds this threshold for several materials including rare earth elements—an indicator that may influence future EU implementation priorities affecting sourcing, due diligence, and project development timelines.
MOFCOM and GACC issued the “Export License Administration Goods Catalog (2026)” establishing the 2026 scope of goods subject to PRC export licensing and related administrative requirements. The catalog is directly relevant to PRC critical minerals supply chains because it explicitly includes goods such as rare earths and certain tungsten/antimony products within the export licensing regime. The notice states exporters of in-scope goods must obtain a PRC export license to clear customs, and clarifies that if an item is also regulated under the Export Control Law / dual-use export control (including temporary controls), exporters must additionally obtain the required dual-use export license. The notice takes effect on 2026-01-01 and repeals the prior MOFCOM+GACC Announcement 2024 No.65 at the same time.
MOFCOM and GACC Announcement No. 70 of 2025 pauses (suspends implementation of) a package of export-control announcements issued in October 2025 (MOFCOM+GAC Announcements No. 55, 56, 57, 58 of 2025 and MOFCOM Announcements No. 61, 62 of 2025). The suspension applies immediately and lasts until 2026-11-10 per the research summary. This changes near-term compliance obligations for exporters and supply chains dealing with controlled rare earth-related items, technologies, and related equipment/materials covered by the paused announcements. Companies should confirm whether their internal export-control screening/licensing workflows must be adjusted during the suspension window and track resumption timing.
The U.S. Department of the Interior (USGS) published the Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals in the Federal Register. The final list includes numerous rare earth elements, reinforcing their designation as critical minerals for U.S. policy and programs that reference the list (e.g., supply-chain resilience initiatives, funding prioritization, and permitting focus). The notice describes the methodology and indicates the list will be updated not less than biannually, which is important for compliance and strategic sourcing teams tracking changes in U.S. critical mineral classifications affecting REE-related projects and reporting.
The U.S. Geological Survey published the Federal Register notice for the Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, which includes numerous rare earth elements (REEs). While not an export control or product restriction, the official designation is used across the U.S. government to guide supply-chain security initiatives and can influence program eligibility, funding, procurement priorities, and interagency actions related to REE mining/processing and downstream products.
MOFCOM Announcement No. 69 of 2025 publishes China’s 2026 goods export quota totals and quota administration arrangements. For critical-minerals-adjacent trade controls, the notice indicates that certain goods (including silver and phosphate rock) continue to be managed without export quotas and instead remain under export license management. Compliance teams managing PRC-origin (or PRC-exported) minerals/metal supply chains should confirm whether their products fall under quota management vs. export license management for 2026 and adjust export documentation, licensing workflows, and contract timelines accordingly.
MOFCOM Announcement No. 61 of 2025 establishes export licensing requirements for specified rare earth-related items with extraterritorial reach. The measure covers exports by defined overseas parties in scenarios involving (i) foreign-made items incorporating PRC-origin controlled rare earth items (including where a 0.1% value-ratio threshold is stated in the notice) and (ii) overseas items produced using PRC-origin rare-earth-related technologies (e.g., mining, smelting/separation, metal smelting, magnet manufacturing, recycling). The notice also signals a restrictive licensing posture for exports involving military end users and listed/watchlisted counterparties, increasing due diligence and screening needs for exporters, traders, and downstream supply-chain actors handling controlled rare-earth inputs/technology. The notice states a split effective timing: certain parts are effective upon issuance, while other parts become effective on 2025-12-01.
China Customs published a Q&A response regarding export declarations for magnets/permanent magnet products under HS 8505111000 in the context of MOFCOM & GACC Announcement No. 18 (2025) rare earth export controls. The response indicates that magnet products that do not contain the controlled elements referenced in the announcement are not treated as controlled items under that measure, and suggests providing product explanations and composition/material reports with declarations to facilitate customs verification and reduce clearance delays. Compliance teams exporting magnet products should ensure robust composition evidence and consistent customs documentation.
MOFCOM and the General Administration of Customs issued Announcement No. 18 of 2025 imposing export controls (license requirement and customs declaration requirements) on certain medium and heavy rare earth-related items, including samarium-, gadolinium-, terbium-, dysprosium-, lutetium-, scandium-, yttrium-, and related permanent-magnet materials/oxides/compounds, aligned to listed dual-use control numbers (1C902–1C908). The announcement highlights practical compliance duties: exporters must apply for export licenses under PRC export control authorities, identify controlled items in customs declarations (including the dual-use item control number), and be prepared for customs questioning/withholding of release. (Note: this event is already present in the existing announcements list; included here would normally be a duplicate and should be skipped in downstream ingestion.)
MOFCOM and GACC issued Announcement No. 18 of 2025 implementing export controls on specified medium/heavy rare earth-related items. The measure requires exporters to apply for export licenses under China’s export control framework and to declare controlled status (including the relevant control numbers) in customs declarations. The Dual-Use Items Export Control List is updated accordingly. Compliance teams should assess whether any products, materials, or shipments involve the listed rare earth elements and controlled forms (e.g., metals, alloys, targets, oxides/compounds/mixtures, and certain permanent magnet materials) and ensure licensing and customs-declaration processes are in place before export.
China’s MOFCOM and GACC issued Announcement No. 10 of 2025, implementing export controls (export licensing/control list coverage) on specified items related to tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum, and indium, including certain materials/products and associated production technologies/technical data. Compliance teams should assess whether exported goods and any controlled technical data/technology transfers fall within the listed control entries and ensure export licensing/classification procedures and customs declaration controls are updated accordingly.
China adopted a major revision to its Mineral Resources Law that introduces a new chapter on Mineral Resource Reserves and Emergency Response. The framework provides legal authority for strategic mineral reserve systems (including product reserves/stockpiles, production capacity reserves, and resource site reserves) and emergency measures during disruptions, which can affect critical-minerals security planning and operational requirements for mining rights holders and related supply chains. The revision enters into force on 2025-07-01, as stated in the secondary policy summary and consistent with the official law publication.