May 2026 Data (June Edition)

Section A: The Themes Hidden in May's Lobbying Data

Mining Sector Intensifies Circular Economy Advocacy

Lobbying activity in May 2026 coincided with final consultations on the EU Circular Economy Act, with mining companies such as Boliden Group and Anglo American engaging with Direct. Gen. Environment and EVP Sejourne (Industry and SMEs) to push for clarity on recycled-content requirements and product repairability standards. The sector’s heightened engagement, exemplified by interactions involving Imerys SA and the International Copper Association Europe, suggests strategic interest in how new mandates will shape raw material markets and intersect with critical materials targets. Mining-intensive industries, especially in non-ferrous metals, are notably amplifying their advocacy during this period.

📎 EU Circular Economy Act Enters Final Consultations: Adoption Expected End-2026 to Reshape Product Design and Material Flows

Greenland’s Molybdenum Project Drives Strategic Supply Chain Moves

The Malmbjerg molybdenum mine in Greenland was referenced directly in multiple lobbying meetings, including exchanges between Greenland Resources and Direct. Gen. International Partnerships, reflecting the sector’s effort to align with the EU’s prioritization of strategic raw material projects. The European Commission’s new equity investment and long-term offtake agreement underscore the project’s role in diversification and resilience, actions which coincide with intensified advocacy from mining organizations such as Anglo American and Sibanye-Stillwater, advancing trans-Atlantic projects with Commission interlocutors like EVP Sejourne and Direct. Gen. International Partnerships.

📎 Greenland Resources Malmbjerg Project: Advancing Europe's Critical Minerals Strategy with Molybdenum and By-Product Potential · EU Investment Strategy Elevates Greenland’s Molybdenum Project in Critical Minerals Landscape

Copper Scrap Surveillance Spurs Customs Policy Debate

Enhanced EU customs surveillance for metal waste and scrap—including copper—now impacts industry operations, prompting mining sector stakeholders such as KGHM Polska Miedz Spolka Akcyjna and the International Copper Association Europe to lobby for refinements in customs classification. Ongoing Commission-industry dialogues, including with Direct. Gen. Tax and Customs and Direct. Gen. Environment, signal attempts to address concerns over strategic autonomy and circular supply chains, with companies responding to heightened monitoring and calls for clearer regulation.

📎 Commission introduces surveillance of imports and exports of metal scrap

Critical Raw Materials Act Spurs Regulatory and Investment Engagement

Mining sector lobbying in May saw explicit focus on CRMA implementation, with Imerys SA, BHP, and Anglo American engaging EVP Sejourne (Industry and SMEs) to seek regulatory clarity and investment support to achieve EU sourcing and recycling targets. The Act’s fast-tracked permitting, public investment, and strategic project prioritization are generating active industry dialogue, coinciding with sector efforts—exemplified by Sibanye-Stillwater and Greenland Resources in discussions with Direct. Gen. International Partnerships—to shape guidance and secure backing amid ambitious benchmarks.

📎 The EU Critical Raw Materials Act and Its Impact on the Mining Sector: Strategic Opportunities for Industry Stakeholders · Europe’s Critical Raw Materials Strategy Accelerates Under the CRMA, Reshaping Mining, Recycling, and Supply Chains in 2026

Section B: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by industry, the lobbying activity with the European Commission last month to its historical average.

Industry Lobbying Activity, May 2026

In May 2026, 5 industries from this sector were active in lobbying meetings with the European Commission, led by Non-ferrous Metal Ore Mining.

Industries running notably above their historical average this month include Non-ferrous Metal Ore Mining and Iron Ore Mining.

On the quieter side, Crude Petroleum Extraction, Other Mining & Quarrying n.e.c., and Other Mining Support Activities saw notably less lobbying activity than their historical average.

Section C: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize Section B, this chart shows the residual trajectory of the same top industries from Section B over the past 12 months — the deviation from what would be expected after accounting for seasonal patterns and the overall trend. Persistent above-zero values indicate sustained over-activity; persistent below-zero values indicate sustained quiet periods.

Industry Lobbying Residuals, May 2026

This chart shows the 5 industries in this sector with the largest deviations from expected lobbying activity in May 2026. Positive values run above their seasonal trend, negative values below.

Non-ferrous Metal Ore Mining saw lobbying notably above expected levels this month.

Other Mining Support Activities, Crude Petroleum Extraction, Iron Ore Mining, and Other Mining & Quarrying n.e.c. saw lobbying notably below expected levels this month.

Section D: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

Organization Lobbying Activity, May 2026

In May 2026, 20 organizations from this sector took part in 21 lobbying meetings with the European Commission.

The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying activity this month include BHP and Anglo American.

On the quieter side, EUROMETAUX, European Association of Mining Industries, Metal Ores & Industrial Minerals, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical, Luossavaara Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag, and Shell Companies saw notably less lobbying activity than usual.

New to the sector's lobbying records this month: Sibanye-Stillwater, Euro Manganese Inc., NGC Battery Materials GmbH, and Andrada Mining.

Section E: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every lobbying meeting takes place with one of two types of European Commission body: a Commissioner's cabinet (political staff) or a Directorate-General (the civil service). This section shows the organisation-to-institution pairings with the most unusual lobbying activity last month, defined by the largest absolute difference between this month's meeting count and the pair's 12-month rolling average.

Lobbying of Commission Institutions, May 2026 vs 12-Month Avg

In May 2026, 20 organisations from this sector met with 12 Commission bodies across 21 meetings — split across 7 Commissioner cabinets and 5 Directorates-General.

Section F: Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

This section shows the organisation-to-subject pairings with the most unusual lobbying activity last month. Subjects are classified from each meeting's title text into one of 19 EU policy areas. A meeting covering multiple topics counts toward each of them.

Lobbying by Subject, May 2026 vs 12-Month Avg

In May 2026, 19 organisations from this sector lobbied on 6 policy topics across 21 meetings. Meetings may touch multiple topics, so subject totals can exceed total meetings.

Topics with notably elevated lobbying activity this month include Anglo American on Mining.

On the quieter side, EUROMETAUX on Environment saw notably less lobbying activity than their historical average.

Section G: Most-Lobbied Officials

This section lists the most-frequent lobbying touchpoints between this sector's organisations and individual European Commission officials last month, compared to each pairing's average over the past year.

Most-Lobbied Officials, May 2026

In May 2026, 21 European Commission officials took part in 21 meetings with this sector's lobbyists.

The most-frequent meetings this month were Shell Companies and Dan Jorgensen + 1 other at Comm Jorgensen (Energy and Housing), Xcalibur Multiphysics Group, S.L. and Koen Doens at Direct. Gen. International Partnerships, Greenland Resources and Koen Doens + 1 other at Direct. Gen. International Partnerships, International Copper Association Europe and Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea at Direct. Gen. Environment, and Boliden Group and Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea at Direct. Gen. Environment.

Most activity came from Cabinet members (15 meetings), followed by Deputy Director-General (5) and Director-General (4).