Webinar I Transatlantic Perspectives on Securing Critical Raw Materials and Components in a Fragmented World — February 19, 2026 | 16:00–17:00 (UTC+1)
Thursday February 19 – 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm (France)
Webinar I Panel discussion
Join EACC and the European Railway Clusters Initiative (ERCI) for an action-oriented webinar examining how value-chain resilience is being addressed in the transportation sector, using the rail industry as a case study.
Value-chain resilience ultimately depends on reliable access to raw materials and critical inputs, supported by a mix of complementary approaches—from diversification and strategic partnerships to circularity, alternative production, stockpiling, and stronger cross-tier transparency and coordination. Against a backdrop of geopolitical fragmentation, industrial policy shifts, and increasing pressure on global supply chains, the discussion will focus on practical approaches, decision-making frameworks, and lessons learned from both sides of the Atlantic to secure access to critical raw materials and components and to strengthen industrial value chains.
The webinar will provide participants with concrete insights into how industrial, regulatory, and market dynamics are reshaping transatlantic rail and transport supply chains — and what companies can do today to prepare for the future.
This program is jointly organized by the European American Chamber of Commerce Florida (EACC Florida) and European Railway Clusters Initiative (ERCI). The technical Host is ERCI Cluster Berlin Partner.
European Perspective:
- Access to critical raw materials and components across strategic industrial sector
- Value-chain resilience as a core industrial capability, beyond short-term risk mitigation
- How companies and clusters are redesigning supplier ecosystems
- Insights into the EU’s LEADER 2030 project objectives on industrial resilience and strategic autonomy in the rail value chain
U.S. Perspective:
- Structural rules shaping supply-chain decisions in the U.S. rail and transport market
- Understanding the U.S. Regulatory Landscape: importance of the Buy American Act and its implications for foreign companies looking to enter the U.S. market
- Navigating Partnerships: strategies for European companies to successfully establish partnerships with American engineering firms for transportation project
- Cultural and Business Idiosyncrasies: the importance of understanding the cultural and business practices in the U.S. for European companies
- Localization trade-offs: how much to localize, where, and at what cost
- Market entry, investment, and scaling strategies for European suppliers, including Florida as a U.S. and regional operational platform
Speakers:
- Veronica Elena Bocci, Vice-President – ERCI [Moderator]
- Edinilson (Ed) Kovaleski – BD / Partnership Consulting – Rail & Transit – Consultrans
- Bernard Piette, Managing Director – Logistics in Wallonia
- Wolfgang Reimer, Managing Director – GKZ, Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg
- A Representative from an operating/logistics company (TBC)