Northern Europe in the Raw Materials Segment of Critical Production Chains

This article explores the position held by Northern European countries in the strategic sectors of European economy under the new emerging technological order. The hypothesis is tested that over the past ten years Scandinavian countries have been able to strengthen their positions in the segment of strategic raw materials (primarily copper and nickel) of critical production chains. The methodology is based on a quantitative assessment of inter-country trade linkages in separate stages of production chains, namely, raw materials, intermediate goods, and final products. The author proposes a method for identifying critical production chains based on a new coefficient of import dependence, which assesses the degree of a country's orientation toward importing a certain product from a certain partner country. The countries studied included Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The time period is limited to 2014–2024. The list of strategic technologies includes traction motors, wind turbines, heat pumps, and 3D-printers working on metals. The research demonstrates that Northern European countries are involved in five critical production chains in the raw-materials segment, three of which originate in Finland. In 2014 there were only two critical chains; in the newest 3D-printers sector they were absent. The results verify the validity of the research hypothesis, highlighting the increasingly significant positions of Scandinavian economies in strategically important sectors of the European economy. The main positions in critical production chains in the region are occupied by Western European countries, particularly Germany. A trend towards limited dependence on strategic resources and the heavier utilization of alternative composite materials among large final producers is shown. At the same time, the EU puts an emphasis on strategic projects related to raw materials in Northern Europe. A surge is anticipated in the demand for copper and nickel, two most extensively utilized metals in strategic technologies. Both of these trends lead to a conclusion that the economies under consideration will maintain their status in the raw material segment of critical production chains. However, this will not contradict the flagship state policies aimed at increasing economic complexity.