In view of the world’s recent changes in the mineral market, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure the sustainable and secure supply of raw materials, both within the European Union and in other high-developed countries. In response to this global challenge, as part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Program for Research & Innovation, the 36-month INTRAW project was launched in February 2015 to foster international cooperation on raw materials. The EU-funded INTRAW project was set up to map and develop new cooperation opportunities related to raw materials between the EU and other technologically advanced countries, such as: Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa and the United States. The first stage of the project was a review of conditions for the stable supply of raw materials from primary and secondary sources in selected countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Japan. The results of the work are two groups of comprehensive reports. The first of these is a broad contextual analysis of geological, environmental, political, technical -economic and social factors conducive to the effective management of mineral resources. The second group is operational reports, carried out in three thematic blocks: industry and trade, research and innovation, education. The analysis clearly shows that the basis for effective action in this area is a stable political, economic and institutional environment, which is friendly to mining and new entities wishing to invest in modern technologies, the exploration and exploitation of deposits. Investors are encouraged by tax regulations, sometimes also by direct government financial support and efficient licensing procedures. The well-defined protection of property rights, also for deposits is equally important. Selected aspects of a wide analysis of determinants of competitiveness for these countries were presented in the article below.

Carbon taxing is an efficient instrument that is implemented by several countries to reduce CO2 emissions. Taxed products and services that result in emitting CO2 in their processes will be replaced by more sustainable alternatives. Carbon taxing is associated with concerns about high energy prices that can negatively affect households and businesses. Egypt, one of the low middle-income developing countries, depends on fossil fuels to supply more than 93% of its total energy supply. In this paper, an analysis is carried out to assess the effects of a suggested carbon tax on the major carbon emitting sectors; power generation, transport and industry. The results show that the power generation sector can absorb and benefit from a suggested tax at a rate of USD 5 per ton of emitted CO2. The transport sector, which relies heavily on subsidized liquid fuels, needs an urgent reform program to remove these subsidies, which costs the country about 10 billion USD annually, and after that, the carbon tax can be introduced. The industry sector may be affected negatively by the suggested tax, due to competitiveness with non-taxed imported products. On the other hand, this tax can help this sector to be prepared to compete when exporting its products to foreign markets that apply carbon taxes. In conclusion, developing countries like Egypt need a well-planned carbon tax program that can make revenues, remove subsidies, and prepare local industries for fair competitiveness in the global market.