 Hi, this is Steve Lawns with Investor News and today I am talking to Dr. Roman Stiffner who has come to us from Austria and we're going to learn a little bit more about the EU and its involvement in the mining business today. So Dr. Stiffner, thank you very much for joining me. Thank you for having me here. It's great. Now you wear a lot of hats. You are the vice president of EuroMines which is based in Brussels and you are also the director of the Austrian Mining and Steel Association and the non-ferrous association. So obviously that's of interest here at PDAC. Can you tell us a little bit more about the organizations themselves? Sure. This association represents the interest of the industry. The Austrian mining, steel and non-ferrous metals industry is very much keen to get international representation of different recognition. What we are trying to organize this industry to get in common voice and to get it more visible. From a small country it's sometimes important to collect a bit more the strength of a common voice and be vocal in this way. And EuroMines is the umbrella association for all the member states in the European Union and it's collecting all the voices of the industry, the mining and metals industry and refining industry on the European level. And that is what EuroMines is, having a voice to the European Commission, meaning the European government, to the European Parliament and to the European public. And that's how it works that we try to explain that mining is a prerequisite to get our continent and even our planet carbon neutral. Now Canada has traditionally looked south, well within Canada, Canada has a lot of mineral riches, but we look south to the rest of North America, South America and Australia, but Europe is now becoming much more part of the consciousness of the mining industry through the entire supply chain. Not just here in Canada in the financial sectors, but in the United States as well. There's rare earths that are coming online in Europe as well. Are you feeling that there's more recognition of Europe as an important partner for the North American world? Definitely, I think it's a result of our major crisis, multiple crises. I think there are three major ones. It was the pandemic that showed, especially in Europe, the vulnerability of the supply chain that we have, not the resilience that we want to have. Second, the Russian war against Ukraine, I think it also makes us clear that geopolitical situation is coming back and geopolitical is something that has, of course, an influence that you, the mining and material sector. And certainly, I think it's clear that we have to do something against the climate change. We have to fight it. And all these three major challenges, the answer for that is having own minds in Europe and having the raw materials side available for a more resilient supply of raw materials to make this transformation happening. And that's why I think this kind of mindset change happened the last couple of months in the European institution. But also, I think, also in the European public. And Europe has been at the forefront of the electric car revolution, green tech, green energy, and the carbon, moving to a carbon-neutral economy as well. So we have a lot to learn, I think, from Europe and North America because Canada is moving in that direction, United States, more slowly, I think. But I think that expertise is more and more in demand in North America because, like I say, we have a lot to learn from Europe because you're so far ahead of us in these things. I think we have to join the forces. It's very important that we share our common values. I think these so-called ESG credit bills are very important to share. I think the consumer in the Western world wants to know where the material is coming from. And he was half a good feeling when he's buying or she's buying a product. And in the end, to have this kind of, I say, definitely defined minimum standards worldwide is a prerequisite. And I think this is a bit that distinguished the Western world to the other regions that might not have this kind of attention to this criteria. And this is something that we can really maybe have a better cooperation and more intensive cooperation. And to make it clear, in Europe, there are definitely some raw materials available. So there are some mines that we can even do bigger or open it, but we are not self-sufficient. So we need strategic partnerships. And that's why we are here also in PDEC. That's why we are here in Canada because it's a country that can deliver a lot of these raw materials for the sake of a good development of the common economic situation in those countries. I know Austria has lithium deposits, copper, but like you say, some of these are very ancient mines in there. And there's challenges in doing that both environmental and in finding finances and all the rest is PDEC important thing. Or how is your message being received at PDEC? Let me ask it that way. I think I got a lot of positive response as I announced that we are having deposits for lithium and we are long way to go. But in the moment, we already granted all the exploration permits and we are, I would say, also very much on the end for the permitting process to come really to operation. So our plan is here to come in the next two years to 2026 in the operation. It will be the first new mining site in lithium, available in Europe, supplying directly the immobility sector. And I think this is something that we can really see that if you want to do something, it's possible. And we have the mines. So we have just to take the courage also to make it happen. And to have this common understanding that mining is not a problem. It's the answer to all these issues, especially to the climate change problem that we have to solve. Oh, that's a great message. And I think there's a lot of there's a lot of uptake on that here. I think people are starting to realize that not just government to government level, but the people who raise the money to invest in projects are starting to look for safe, reliable jurisdictions that are interested in building the new economy and get finding the raw materials. And I hope you're finding lots of success here. Yeah, you said for the investors, it's important to have a clear or long term strategy and the USG restriction that is really reliable. I think this is something that we now established with the so-called Critical Raw Materials Act. I think it was a good piece of legislation that the European Commission was more or less now elaborating. And it's in the last phase of adoption. Most like it will be done in March, April time. And then we have a really clear piece of legislation that is relevant all the member states in the direct form. So the investors can be sure that we have a clear timing curve for granting permissions and also to make not to keep the risks in investing in a mine very, very little. So the risking, I think, is something that we have really to keep in mind and think did it so far. Well, I've certainly noticed a lot more awareness of the EU at this PDAC more than previous PDACs because of, like you say, the world crises that we're going through. And so the attention is shifting to stable, reliable partners who, you know, we may have ignored a little bit in the past, but it's nice to see that the EU is being top of mind again. So thank you very much for coming. I really appreciate your taking time. Thank you, Steve. Thank you. Enjoy the rest of PDAC. Much fun. Thank you so much.