01 Nov PROMETIA’s 10th anniversary – A conversation with former PROMETIA president Andrzej Chmielarz
Andrzej Chmielarz served as PROMETIA President from 2019 to 2021, guiding the association through the complex and challenging period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a Doctor at Poland’s Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals (IMN), he brought both expertise and resilience, fostering cooperation and advancing PROMETIA’s mission to support innovation in the raw materials sector despite global disruptions. In this interview, he shares insights into PROMETIA’s achievements, the impact of new policies, and the future of the industry.
As a former President, what stands out to you as PROMETIA’s greatest strength?
Cooperation, common goals and mutual understanding seem to be the most valuable assets. These values were of particular importance at the time of the difficult period of the pandemic, during which our community was able to implement our main forms of activity without any significant limitations and restrictions.
How did new ideas and innovations affect the raw materials sector while you were at PROMETIA? And what do you think of the CRM Act and its impact on the sector?
During this time, the European Commission carried out the necessary analytical work, made economic and political analyses, which prepared the European community to adopt the CRM Act. Prometia had its significant contribution to that achievement, through execution of the tasks assigned to us in the MSP-Refram and SCRREEN projects. In particular, the work covered by the SCRREEN project had a significant impact on the final shape of the current Critical and Strategic Raw Materials list. The CRM Act provides directions and targets of the expected actions of the Member States in order to achieve raw material supply security. We try to actively participate in these activities and keep our fingers crossed that they turn out successful. It should be also mentioned that the third phase of the SCRREEN project started at the beginning of this year with active involvement of our association.
What do you think will be the main challenges for the raw materials sector in the next ten years, and how can PROMETIA help with these?
The main task is to at least maintain the existing value chain and its economic efficiency. The implementation of the provisions of the CRM Act will be equally challenging. To reach the established targets it is necessary, among other things, to intensively develop technologies and techniques for materials recycling, which is necessary for the full implementation of the idea and achievement of the economic and social goals of the circular economy.
Do you have a favorite memory or story from your time at PROMETIA?
Excuse me, please, but I have to limit myself to my very personal memories. I will always remember with emotion the day I was elected president of Prometia. For a person who spent a significant part of his life in a country separated from the outside world by the Iron Curtain, gaining such far-reaching trust of our international community was an extraordinary honour. Once again, thank you very much for that.
