Euro Manganese’s Chvaletice Project Designated a Strategic Project under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Euro Manganese Inc. (TSX-V and ASX: EMN; OTCQB: EUMNF; Frankfurt: E06) (the "Company") today announced that the Chvaletice Manganese Project (the "Chvaletice Project" or the "Project") has been designated a Strategic Project under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act (“CRMA”).

Highlights

• Chvaletice Manganese Project designated a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act
• Strategic Projects benefit from potential access to numerous private and public sources of funding, including the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and private financial institutions
• Permitting processes proceed according to deadlines set in the CRMA, decreasing scheduling risk related to permitting
• Milestone achievement represents significant endorsement of the importance of the Chvaletice Manganese Project to EU strategic and critical raw material supply independence

Strategic Project Designation

Strategic Projects under the EU CRMA gain access to guidance and potential funding from numerous private and public sources including the European Investment Bank (“EIB”), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”) and private financial institutions and enables regional and national authorities to make use of funding from the European Development Fund and Cohesion Fund. Additionally, Strategic Project status ensures that permitting processes proceed according to the deadlines set in the CRMA, decreasing the scheduling risk related to permitting.

The CRMA, which took effect in May 2024, lists more than 30 raw materials and defines high-purity manganese (battery grade) as a strategic raw material, and manganese as a critical raw material. Strategic Projects are designated to make a meaningful contribution to the security of the EU’s supply of strategic raw materials, to safeguard the functioning of the internal market and to diversify Europe’s supplies from third countries.

In March 2024, Euro Manganese received approval of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ("ESIA") for the Chvaletice Project from the Czech Ministry of Environment, and in January 2025, the Company secured the Determination of Mining Lease permit, which represents one of the most significant approvals in the process towards full permitting. Additionally, in March 2025, the Czech government declared the Chvaletice Manganese Deposit as strategic.