Joris Teer

Watching China in Europe—October 2025

"In a world where China and the United States are moving fast and hitting hard, the EU has been too slow, too timid, and too wedded to a rulebook the others have torn up," writes @noahbarkin.bsky.social:

Thousands of Chinese worker will be sent to Europe to build EV battery plants, but Xi Jinping insists on keeping crown jewel technologies at home. This decreases Europe's chances of achieving reverse tech transfer, @joristeer.bsky.social tells the @financialtimes.com.

🔗 www.ft.com/content/0f26...

The geopolitics of supply chains is heating up and China is sharpening its tools as well as its strategic intent.

@joristeer.bsky.social who’s the economic security lead @euiss.bsky.social, talking here to the FT ↘️

Great to speak to the FT, sharing quotes on geopolitical aims behind Chinese industrial policy - and what this means for Europe's chances of achieving reverse tech transfer through Chinese investments in EU, like CATL's in Spain

www.ft.com/content/0f26...

@euiss.bsky.social @sbeverts.bsky.social

China is tightening its grip on critical raw materials. Export restrictions risk crippling Europe’s rearmament, warns @joristeer.bsky.social in @fd.nl.

🔗 Read the article: fd.nl/bedrijfsleve...

🚨🚨 @FD_Nieuws: "Europese bedrijven in de knel nu Chinese export zeldzame aardmetalen stokt".

China’s grondstoffenwapen raakt defensie-bedrijven waarsch extra hard!

fd.nl/bedrijfsleve...

Hoe zo snel mogelijk mogelijk op te lossen? Zie @EU_ISS aanbevelingen: www.iss.europa.eu/sites/defaul...

Technological underpinnings of European autonomy and US-China competition Technology is a battleground in the geopolitical competition between the US and China. In this context, Europe is both a playground – where the competing ambitions of the two countries intersect – ...

"Technological underpinnings of European autonomy and US-China competition"

Antonio Calcara, Joris Teer & Ivan Zaccagnini

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... @acalcara.bsky.social @joristeer.bsky.social

#EUISS2025 brought Europe’s strategic community together to rethink the EU’s global role.

🎥 Some highlights from a day of ideas, insights & exchanges on how the EU can act with power & purpose.

YouTube video by EU Institute for Security Studies EUISS 2025 annual conference: Kaja Kallas keynote speech

🔴 NOW LIVE: High Representative @kajakallas.bsky.social takes the stage at #EUISS2025.

🎥 Watch the livestream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AKx...

For more recent context, find my whole LinkedIn-post here: www.linkedin.com/posts/joris-...

And our nine policies, to fully derisk rare earth, gallium, and germanium value chains here (based on EU Commission / private sector / thinktank delphi-workshop): www.iss.europa.eu/sites/defaul...

Things can get a lot worse, very fast. US has -de facto- called a critical raw material emergency. Just waiting for the EU to do the same.

Our scenarios / how to make this succeed:
csds.vub.be/publication/...

And what EU def ministers should do: iss.europa.eu/publications...

Entirely unsurprising.

For years companies have told me they are “dual-sourced”, only pointing to first/second-tier suppliers. If USGS/EU say 100% heavy rare earth refining and 98% gallium production happens in CN, you are NOT dual sourced.

Graph showing the 'snail pace' of R&D in the EU compared to US R&D. While overall defence spending among EU Member States has gone up, investment in defence R&D is not keeping pace with procurement.

💡 The EU can address both its security & competitiveness crises with a new tool: increased defence budgets.

Europe has the opportunity to spark a dual-use tech boom that could boost its deterrence and industrial growth, argue @joristeer.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social. www.iss.europa.eu/pu...

Graph showing the GCC countries' (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) top 5 trade partners.

💡 As geopolitics shift, the EU is rethinking its approach to engagement with the #GCC, writes @katarzyna-sidlo.bsky.social.

After years of stalled bloc-to-bloc talks, the EU is now shifting to a flexible dual-track strategy: regional and 1-on-1 partnerships. www.iss.europa.eu/publications...

Starting with the end in mind: Fully de-risked gallium, germanium, and rare earth value chains by 2030 The EU’s current approach to reducing risks in critical raw material supply chains is not producing results fast enough. China retains a dominant position in the production of most materials that the ...

⚠️ The EU's strategy to reduce risks in critical raw material supply chains is not producing results fast enough, warns @joristeer.bsky.social.

In a recent expert workshop, we identified 9 key policies to fully de-risk gallium, germanium and #rareearths by 2030. ⬇️ www.iss.europa.eu/activities/e...

Joris Teer (EUISS) on China's grip on critical raw materials – and how to break it Studio Energie · Episode

🎙️ @joristeer.bsky.social joined @studioenergie.bsky.social for a deep-dive into how China built its critical raw materials dominance, a strategic advantage Beijing increasingly wields as a weapon.

How did Europe become so dependant and can we break free? 🔗 Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/5Wic...

Calibrated engagement: Evolving relations between the EU and the Gulf region The launch of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and the UAE in April 2025 marks a shift in the EU's approach to engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member st...

EU–GCC relations are evolving. After years of bloc-to-bloc talks, the EU is shifting course & pursuing both regional & 1-on-1 partnerships. This is more than diplomacy, it’s the EU adapting to stay relevant in a changing world, says @katarzyna-sidlo.bsky.social. www.iss.europa.eu/publications...

Europe is ramping up defence spending but this isn’t just about security. It’s a chance to spark a dual-use tech boom that could power Europe’s competitiveness. A thread🧵⤵️

When stars align: Leveraging European defence budgets to drive a dual-use tech boom Europe faces a security and competitiveness crisis. Increased defence spending offers an opportunity to address both challenges, unleashing a dual-use technology boom. Both the EU and its Member State...

Read more in @joristeer.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social new Brief. ow.ly/irZR50Wkgfs

Ready to support the strategic direction of the Institute?

We are looking for our new Head of people & administration.

⏰ Apply by 28 August, 12:00 CEST
🔗 ow.ly/IHG550WlAyM

#EUjobs

Hear hear. Working in dual-use tech innovation ánd production needs to become hyper attractive quickly, we are already 3yrs (😑) behind schedule.

More defence spending is necessary - but it could be done right or wrong. One good way is for Europe to invest on dual-use technologies, essential for contemporary warfare but also key to enhance our competitiveness. @joristeer.bsky.social www.iss.europa.eu/publications...

When stars align: Leveraging European defence budgets to drive a dual-use tech boom Europe faces a security and competitiveness crisis. Increased defence spending offers an opportunity to address both challenges, unleashing a dual-use technology boom. Both the EU and its Member State...

NATO's 5% pledge is a massive opportunity for Europe. The stars align to address both Europe's security AND competitiveness crises by kickstarting a dual-use tech boom through defence R&D.

Our new @euiss.bsky.social
www.iss.europa.eu/publications...?

With
@gspataf95.bsky.social

#42 Joris Teer - Rol van grondstoffen in de geopolitiek Buitenland met Boswijk · Episode

China trekt het tapijt weg onder de herbewapening van Europa, stelt @joristeer.bsky.social in deze nieuwe aflevering van #BuitenlandMetBoswijk 👇🏼

open.spotify.com/episode/7x5Q...

When stars align: Leveraging European defence budgets to drive a dual-use tech boom Europe faces a security and competitiveness crisis. Increased defence spending offers an opportunity to address both challenges, unleashing a dual-use technology boom. Both the EU and its Member State...

Rising defence budgets can tackle both Europe's security & competitiveness crisis. Others have done it: the US, China & Ukraine turned threats into tech & industrial booms.

Europe can do it too explain @joristeer.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social ⤵️ ow.ly/irZR50Wkgfs

Europe’s dual crises: security & competitiveness. Increased defence budgets can tackle both by driving a #DualUse tech boom. With EU support for innovation, talent & capital, it’s a chance to strengthen deterrence & growth say @joristeer.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social.

🔗 ow.ly/irZR50Wkgfs

How can Europe use the additional money for defence in a way that also makes its industries for the 4th industrial revolution? @joristeer.bsky.social and I wrote a brief for @euiss.bsky.social on tackling the security & competitiveness crisis, & driving a dual-use tech boom. 👇

Beijing's restriction of raw material supplies to our critical sectors undermines Europe's rearmament & by extension our deterrence capability, warns @joristeer.bsky.social on Dutch TV.

Goed met @nieuwsuur.nl te spreken over Pekings afknijpen van grondstoffentoevoer naar onze vitale sectoren, in bijzonder de defensie-industrie. Dit ondermijnt Europa's herbewapening en dus ons afschrikkingsvermogen.

@euiss.bsky.social

nos.nl/nieuwsuur/vi...

The NATO summit was an incomplete, success, failing to deliver a solution for defence raw materials, says @joristeer.bsky.social ⤵️ However, the decision to dedicate 1.5% of GDP/year to strengthen the defence industrial base does provide a basis to shield rearmament from China’s blackmail.