{"text":[[{"start":10.14,"text":"Europe has fallen too far behind in battery technology and should seek partnerships with Chinese groups instead of trying to set up a rival industry, bosses of two of the region’s major metals companies have said."}],[{"start":25.37,"text":"Their comments come as the continent is still reeling from the collapse this year of Northvolt, the Swedish start-up that was one of Europe’s best funded start-ups and a symbol of efforts to break reliance on China for batteries used in electric vehicles."}],[{"start":44.6,"text":"But the chair of French miner Eramet, which produces metals used in battery production, and the chief executive of Umicore, a specialist in the production and recycling of battery materials, told the Financial Times that a push to develop an entirely autonomous European industry would not work."}],[{"start":68.63,"text":"Instead of trying to catch up with Asian counterparts such as battery manufacturer CATL and carmaker BYD, European companies should rather seek partnerships with the Chinese groups to develop a supply chain on the continent, they said. The executives added that policymakers could help the process by requiring Asian companies to invest in local production. "}],[{"start":95.72,"text":"Europe needed to be “realistic” because China had spent two decades perfecting its battery technology and was now a “huge” step ahead, said Christel Bories, who was Eramet’s chief executive until last week."}],[{"start":111.47,"text":"“Trying to start from scratch without taking advantage of Chinese technology” would not work, she said."}],[{"start":119.91,"text":"Bart Sap, chief executive of the Belgian-French company Umicore, echoed that sentiment. “We have to embrace China to help produce with us in Europe. Otherwise we are risking mobility dependence,” he said."}],[{"start":136.05,"text":"The argument is in contrast with the approach of the Trump administration, which is racing to develop a US industry across the critical minerals sector in a bid to cut its dependency on China, including through the imposition of tariffs. "}],[{"start":153.58,"text":"Sap argued for a more co-operative approach towards China. “Instead of tariffs, I’d incentivise that co-operation, those local content requirements. That’s the key for the future,” he said."}],[{"start":168.42000000000002,"text":"Rob Burrell, a battery supply chain researcher at market intelligence firm Project Blue, said decoupling from China was not a realistic option for the European battery industry."}],[{"start":181.17000000000002,"text":"Some Chinese groups are already investing in Europe and setting up partnerships with local companies."}],[{"start":188.17000000000002,"text":"Fiat and Peugeot owner Stellantis and CATL last year announced plans to invest up to €4bn in a battery factory in Spain. BYD is planning to start production at its first European plant, in Hungary, this year while CATL has battery factories in Hungary and Germany."}],[{"start":211,"text":"But campaigners have accused Chinese companies of not sharing their technological knowledge or employing local workers. Julia Poliscanova, from campaign group Transport & Environment, said Europe’s policymakers should improve regulation of such investments."}],[{"start":228.89,"text":"“They're not so keen to share the tech, they bring their own people [to work in] key positions in the company, and in a way [Europe is] becoming an assembly plant,” she said. Europe needed “a clear framework around joint ventures — skills and IP sharing provisions”, she said."}],[{"start":249.02999999999997,"text":"Umicore’s Sap said more needed to be done to promote domestic recycling of battery materials, as much of the region’s electric and metals waste was currently exported and processed elsewhere."}],[{"start":262.82,"text":"As Europe had a limited number of mines, “we need to bring those critical metals into Europe and keep them here”, he said."}],[{"start":271.59999999999997,"text":"Last year, Eramet said it would halt plans to develop a battery recycling plant in France because of the lack of battery factories and cathode production, a crucial step in the production of lithium-ion batteries, in the region."}],[{"start":297.52,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftmailbox.cn/album/a_1748386704_4949.mp3"}