PRESS RELEASE

November 12, 2026

European industrial sovereignty: Veolia launches a pioneering site for extracting strategic metals from EV batteries

• The key link in the value chain to strengthen geostrategic autonomy in Europe
• A concrete commitment to building a sovereign and circular European value chain, ensuring a local supply for European automotive, construction and defense industries and, in the long term, with the support of public authorities, the manufacturing of batteries in Europe ("battery to battery")
• A cutting-edge technology enables the recovery of more than 90% of the cobalt, nickel, and copper contained in the black mass resulting from battery shredding
• A major potential market: nearly 700,000 tonnes of batteries to be processed within five years in Europe, representing an estimated value of more than one billion euros in strategic metals

Veolia is paving the way with a groundbreaking project to reclaim European sovereignty over strategic metals. The group is launching a pioneering initiative in the Grand Est region (France), in the presence of Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of prosperity and industrial strategy, and Franck Leroy, President of the Grand Est Region.

Recovering strategic metals such as nickel and cobalt is a major issue of competitiveness and sovereignty for Europe, aiming to reduce its dependence on imports and to stop its valuable resources from being shipped abroad. Today, extra-European competition is driving a massive export of black mass to Asia. Yet within five years, nearly 700,000 tonnes of batteries are expected to be recycled in Europe, representing more than one billion euros' worth of recoverable metals.

Guided by this vision, Veolia has brought to life this first European project equipped with proprietary hydrometallurgy technologies to process black mass flows from Europe (from France, the United Kingdom and Switzerland to date). The innovative process makes it possible to dismantle batteries, efficiently separate the black mass and, ultimately, extract cobalt, nickel and copper from it. These metals are then redistributed to the European automotive, construction and defense markets. Each year, the site will be able to recycle nearly 7,000 tonnes of black mass, the equivalent of 20,000 tonnes of batteries.

Pioneering in this field, Veolia is steadfastly pursuing its efforts to build a European battery recycling value chain. Several projects dedicated to battery dismantling, complementary to the processing activities of this state-of-the-art facility located downstream in the value chain, are currently being deployed in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Slovenia.

Europe's backing is vital to securing a domestic supply of strategic metals. It is also essential for building a circular industrial model, by supporting the establishment of facilities that can reintegrate recycled metals. This calls for a Europe-wide regulatory and economic framework to be put in place now.

“Through its technologies and pioneering expertise, Veolia is helping to create a sovereign supply of strategic metals from recycling. Thanks to this facility, where European black mass flows converge, this extraordinary resource can be recovered within Europe: today serving the metallurgy sector and, tomorrow perhaps, producing new European batteries. This is the very purpose of our commitments and of the ambitions carried by our Green Up strategic programme: turning waste into a strategic resource and circular industry into a competitiveness lever serving local regions. The challenge is a collective one, on a key issue for our industry and our economy,” said Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia.

“For too long, Europe has watched its strategic raw materials leave the continent, only to import finished products from elsewhere. We must break free from this cycle of dependency. This new plant in the Grand Est region is ‘Made in Europe’ in action: resources recycled in Europe, processed in Europe, to power our batteries in Europe. This is the very essence of the industrial shift we are championing: safeguarding our resources, supporting our manufacturers, and turning European preference into reality. Through the Battery Regulation, the Industrial Accelerator Act, and the upcoming Circular Economy Act, we are equipping ourselves with the tools to achieve this ambition. The green transition must also be a policy of industrial sovereignty, production, and employment in Europe”, said Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice President of the European Commission.

“The installation of this state-of-the-art recycling facility is a strong sign of our region’s economic vitality and capacity for innovation. The Grand Est Region is extremely proud to have supported this pioneering project from day one: a true industrial showcase on both the national and European levels. We owe this success to the joint efforts of all local stakeholders. It proves that by combining our strengths and expertise, we are capable of building together a circular economy that creates value for our area, our economy, and, above all, European energy sovereignty,” said Franck Leroy, President of the Grand Est Region.

ABOUT VEOLIA

Veolia, a global leader in environmental services, works every day to build environmental security for the benefit of public health and the competitiveness of industries and regions. With 215,000 employees across five continents, working closely with local communities, and thanks to its cutting-edge technologies, the group cleans up pollution, reduces carbon emissions, and regenerates resources through concrete solutions that combine its expertise in water and water technologies, waste - including hazardous waste management, and local energy. In 2025, the Veolia group served 110 million people with drinking water and 97 million with sanitation, produced 45 million megawatt hours of energy, and treated 64 million tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE, Fortune 500, SBF 120) generated consolidated revenue of €44.4 billion in 2025. www.veolia.com

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