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I think it’s worth distinguishing between the overall project programme and the speed of the construction system itself.

The clock doesn’t simply start when the first GFRG panel goes up. There are still foundations, substructure, services, concrete works, inspections and all the normal site preparation that every apartment block requires.

What today’s RNS actually tells us is:

• The project is on schedule

• The second floor structure is complete

• The third and final floor is already underway

• ECOB already has sufficient GFRG walls manufactured to complete the building

• This is the first of at least six apartment blocks

For me, the more important point is that this is now a live reference project progressing steadily while the company simultaneously expands manufacturing capacity with a second production line.

Once the first block is completed, we’ll have a much better benchmark for comparing ECOB’s system against traditional construction methods.

This is exactly the type of update I was hoping to see.

Not hype, not promises, just steady execution.

Since April we’ve moved from completion of the ground floor to completion of the second floor, with the third and final floor now underway.

The company also confirms:

• Project remains on schedule

• €2.2m revenue per apartment block

• First of at least six apartment blocks

• Sufficient GFRG walls already manufactured to complete the first block

• Recently funded second production line will further increase manufacturing capacity

This is what building a scalable business looks like, consistent operational progress backed by increasing production capability.

Markets ultimately reward companies that execute, and ECOB is now establishing a track record of delivering exactly what it says it will.

Looking forward to the next milestone: completion of the first apartment block and continued rollout across the wider development.

Thanks again Rpks, your local perspective and the Czech articles are much appreciated. 👍

One thing that struck me was your observation about the lack of comments on one of the Czech Republic’s biggest news sites.

It’s certainly not proof of anything, but if this were genuinely a hugely controversial national issue, I’d have expected to see thousands of comments, political campaigning and widespread media attention.

Instead, it seems to be viewed more as a local planning issue with understandable concerns about noise, dust, traffic, water and compensation rather than opposition to the project itself.

To me, that’s quietly encouraging. Thanks again for taking the time to keep us updated with what’s actually being reported locally.

Thanks again Rpks. 👍 These local Czech articles are incredibly useful and help keep us all informed.

My own take is that the headline isn’t quite as dramatic as it first appears.

The hearing itself seems to have gone as expected. The concerns raised were largely the ones we’ve been discussing for years - dust, noise, traffic, water and compensation - rather than any new fundamental obstacle to the project.

The article also confirms the next stage is for the Ministry to review all the comments received, complete the independent assessment and prepare the binding EIA opinion.

Whether the “end of the year” comment reflects the final legally binding opinion rather than the current EIA milestone remains to be seen, so I’d be cautious about reading too much into one sentence until there’s clarification from the Ministry, ČEZ or EMH.

Either way, yesterday’s hearing is now behind us and the project continues to move through the regulatory process.

Each day we get closer to moving onto the next stage.

Maybe Friday 🥳🥳

The project has demonstrably moved through a series of major de-risking milestones over the past few months, which I think is easy to overlook.

Since late 2025/26 we’ve seen:

• DFS completed.

• Up to €360m Czech Government grant support.

• CRMA Strategic Project status.

• Strategic Deposit designation.

• EIA submitted.

• Public consultation completed.

• Public hearing taking place today.

• ČEZ openly discussing funding/partner options.

• Geomet confirming funding work has already begun.

Whether someone is bullish or bearish is entirely up to them, but I don’t think it’s fair to say we’re “no closer”. Quite the opposite, the project has continued to move through important regulatory and financing milestones.

If today’s hearing proceeds as expected, attention turns to the Ministry’s environmental decision, which is currently expected around the end of June. After that, the focus naturally shifts to financing, off-take and any strategic partner discussions.

Thanks for posting, Rpks, much appreciated. 👍

To me, the important point is that the process is continuing exactly as planned. The hearing is simply another required step in the EIA process, and the fact it’s being held tomorrow keeps everything moving towards the Ministry’s decision and the 30th June timetable.

Hopefully all goes smoothly and we can look forward to the next milestone. 🤞

I completely understand why people remain cautious after the delays over recent years, but I also think it’s important to judge the project on where it is today rather than where it was.

For me, the EIA isn’t the end of the journey, it’s the independent proof the market has been waiting for. It materially reduces one of the biggest project risks and changes the conversation.

A positive EIA doesn’t guarantee financing or a strategic partner, but it removes one of the biggest regulatory hurdles. That is exactly the sort of milestone potential lenders and industrial partners typically want to see before committing significant capital.

The project has now had years of technical studies, consultation and revisions behind it. The Ústí Region has confirmed its previous comments have been incorporated, and the remaining discussions appear to be about conditions and mitigation rather than whether the mine should proceed.

Nothing is guaranteed, but based on the evidence available today, it feels as though Cinovec has moved from “Can this happen?” to “How do we finance and build it?” To me, that’s a significant change in where the project now stands.

Not long to wait ……

Another piece of the puzzle has quietly fallen into place…

The EU has launched its Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Initiative, aiming to mobilise €25 billion of investment by 2035.

Most importantly, green hydrogen has been designated a priority, with funding focused on production, transport and storage infrastructure.

Why is this significant?

Because Europe is no longer just talking about hydrogen. It’s building the entire ecosystem.

✅ Production

✅ Pipelines

✅ Storage

✅ Ports

✅ Cross-border infrastructure

✅ Industrial partnerships

That’s exactly the environment companies like ITM Power have been preparing for.

Many still value ITM as simply an electrolyser manufacturer.

Dennis Schulz has consistently spoken about moving up the value chain, and we’re already seeing that strategy emerge through Hydropulse and the recent Protium strategic partnership.

Hydropulse isn’t just about selling electrolysers.

It’s about developing, investing in and operating hydrogen production assets, creating long-term recurring revenues alongside equipment sales.

That’s a completely different valuation model.

The EU already has a target of producing 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen and importing another 10 million tonnes annually by 2030.

Now another €25 billion is being directed towards one of the world’s best renewable energy regions.

The opportunity keeps getting bigger.

The market is slowly beginning to realise something…

ITM isn’t waiting for the hydrogen economy to arrive.

It’s positioning itself to help build it.

If Hydropulse develops as many of us believe it can, ITM won’t simply be selling electrolysers. It could become a major hydrogen producer and infrastructure owner in its own right.

That is where I believe the really exciting long-term value lies.

£5 Party InBound 🚀 🚀🚀🚀🚀

Good point, Blonde. 👍

The hydrogeology has always been recognised as the key issue because of the Teplice spa waters. The encouraging part is that Geomet hasn’t just started looking at this recently - they’ve spent many years drilling, modelling groundwater, consulting experts and revising the plans. They’ve also relocated the processing plant, incorporated previous comments, and the Ústí Region has now confirmed “it has no further comments on the EIA documentation”.

That’s a good indication the process is moving in the right direction.

Excellent research, Rpks. 👏

I think you’ve highlighted the single most important sentence:

“The Ústí Region has no comments on the EIA documentation because Geomet incorporated the previous comments.”

To me, that’s hugely encouraging. It tells us Geomet listened, amended the documentation where appropriate, and the regional authority is now broadly satisfied. That’s exactly how a well-managed EIA process should work.

What also stood out is that the concerns being raised aren’t about whether the project should proceed, but how it should operate - transport routes, noise and environmental safeguards, that’s a very different conversation.

ČEZ also confirms that years of consultation have already taken place, working groups have met, the processing plant was relocated following feedback, and the EIA documentation is now in its final form. This is not a project starting from scratch - it sounds like one approaching the end of the environmental approval process.

There are never guarantees in investing, but the overall picture continues to strengthen. Thanks again for sharing - a great find.

JMUK26 raises an interesting technical point, but I suspect we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves.

The company isn’t proposing to build thousands of UK homes tomorrow. It’s starting with two demonstration homes, which is exactly how you’d expect a new construction system to be introduced into a new market.

Equally, ECOB’s system isn’t an untested concept. It’s already being used on live developments in Albania, is progressing into Canada through the demonstration project there, and the company has clearly undertaken extensive testing and certification work to support its international rollout.

If JMUK26 wants the detailed technical data, I’m sure that’s something the company can provide to prospective customers, specifiers and regulators as projects progress. That’s standard practice in the construction industry.

It’s also worth remembering that only recently investors committed £2.35 million to fund a second production line in Albania to meet increasing demand. Those investors will have had the opportunity to carry out their own due diligence before committing capital.

For me, the bigger picture is that ECOB is delivering live projects internationally, expanding manufacturing capacity and has now established a dedicated UK business with experienced local partners. That feels like a much more meaningful milestone than debating individual technical reports on a bulletin board.

It’s amazing how easily some people can talk themselves into failure.

None of us has a crystal ball and there are no guarantees in investing, but we make decisions based on the evidence available at the time, not on fear.

When I look at the evidence, I see years of technical work, a completed DFS, CRMA Strategic Project status, political support, regional rezoning approved, the EIA progressing through the statutory process, public consultation and hearing scheduled, and ČEZ openly discussing bringing in a strategic partner to help develop the project.

Could something unexpected happen? Of course. That’s investing.

But based on everything we know today, I personally think the weight of evidence points towards the project moving forward, not being abandoned. The share price may not reflect that today, but eventually fundamentals tend to matter more than sentiment.

I completely understand why some people are holding their breath, we’ve all been waiting a long time.

That said, I try to separate emotion from the actual process.

Every official step so far has happened broadly when expected:

* EIA submitted.

* Published for consultation.

* Cross-border consultation completed.

* Public comments closing today.

* Public hearing on 17 June.

Nothing so far points to the timetable slipping.

One of my favourite quotes is:

“A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.”

Until the facts change, I’d rather judge the project by the evidence than by the share price.

If CT1 has highlighted today as the final day for comments, to me that simply suggests the process is progressing as expected.

* The consultation is moving forward normally.

* The authorities are encouraging anyone who wishes to comment to do so before the deadline.

* Most importantly, the process continues to move towards the 17 June public hearing rather than showing signs of delay.

It looks like the EIA timetable is unfolding exactly as planned.

🤸🤸🏽🧑‍🩰🕺💃🏃🏻‍♂️‍➡️😁

A few thoughts, as I think there’s some important context behind each point.

1. Public consultation isn’t a sign of a problem. It’s a mandatory part of the Czech EIA process under the Aarhus Convention. The Espoo Convention simply adds the cross-border consultation because of Cinovec’s location. The fact both have progressed together actually suggests good planning and preparation rather than delay.

2. I think it’s important not to confuse the recent EIA submission with the start of the process. This isn’t a brand new mining proposal. Cinovec is an existing historic mining district, and the environmental assessment has been evolving for years through baseline studies, technical revisions, engineering changes and ongoing engagement with the Ministry. The submission at the end of 2025 was the culmination of that work, not the starting point.

3. Consultees can raise questions - that’s exactly what consultation is for. The key question is whether anything genuinely new and material is identified. The Ministry has already been involved throughout the project’s evolution and had commissioned an independent expert review before consultation even opened. That’s a significant stage that often gets overlooked.

4. The wider context also matters. Cinovec is a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and is central to the Czech Republic’s critical minerals strategy. That doesn’t exempt it from environmental legislation, but it does provide a strong incentive to keep the process moving efficiently while fully complying with the law. We’ve also seen the public hearing scheduled for 17 June and the Government continuing to work towards the 30 June Just Transition Fund milestone.

5. On the “split EIA”, large mining projects commonly evolve over many years. Earlier submissions being updated as engineering develops is normal, and the Ministry already has that history. They’re reviewing the evolution of one project, not trying to piece together three unrelated applications.

Nothing is guaranteed, but I think the evidence points to a process progressing broadly as planned rather than one starting from scratch. For me, the key question isn’t whether consultation exists—it always had to. 🥳

This is very bullish background for Cinovec / EMH.

The key line is that Europe is still expected to have “just under 20%” of batteries made in the EU by 1 Jan 2027, versus the original target assumptions. That screams strategic urgency.

For Cinovec, the read-across is:

Europe still has a battery supply-chain problem, not just a car-sales problem.

The EU/UK may delay tariffs again, but that only buys time. It does not solve the underlying issue: Europe needs local lithium, local refining, local battery materials and secure supply chains.

Cinovec sits right in the middle of that answer: large-scale, EU-based, strategically located, backed by ČEZ, advanced in permitting, and relevant to European automotive supply security.

The article also reinforces why the 30 June EIA/permit milestone matters. Once Cinovec is de-risked further, it becomes even harder to ignore because the political and industrial pressure is clearly increasing.

In simple terms:

Europe can delay tariffs, but it cannot delay building its own battery supply chain forever. Cinovec becomes more important, not less.

I think that’s a fair and balanced assessment Jemesa.

What I particularly like is that you’ve separated the significance of the 17 June hearing from the significance of the actual EIA decision. Some posters seem to be conflating the two.

The hearing itself isn’t the prize. The prize is the Ministry’s decision. What the hearing date does provide is greater visibility that the process is continuing to move forward and that the remaining timetable is at least capable of supporting a decision before the end of June.

I also don’t see anything controversial in suggesting that the project is progressing through the permitting process. That’s simply what has happened. EIA submitted, rezoning approved, EIA accepted for review, cross-border consultation progressing, public hearing scheduled. Those are milestones, not opinions.

Whether the final decision arrives on 30 June, a few weeks later, or with additional conditions attached remains to be seen. Reasonable people can differ on timing.

Where I agree with you is that every successful step through the process reduces risk and increases the strategic value of Cinovec. At some point the discussion shifts from “can this project be permitted?” to “what is a permitted strategic European lithium project actually worth?”

With 30 June now only weeks away, we won’t have long to wait for some important answers.

Truly Exciting Times Ahead 🥳🥳 📈🚀

I actually thought Jemesa’s post was fairly balanced.

He wasn’t saying approval tomorrow is guaranteed. He outlined the milestones achieved, the milestones still to come, acknowledged the possibility of a delay, and then gave his own probability assessment.

Saying you agree with most of the post and then arguing that “the market doesn’t share the same perspective” feels like a different discussion altogether.

The market is a voting machine in the short term and a weighing machine in the long term. The question isn’t whether the market agrees today, it’s whether the milestones being delivered eventually change the market’s view.

Either way, 30 June isn’t very far away now and we won’t have to wait long to see whether the market starts to reassess the value of a progressively de-risked Cinovec project.

Lots to look forward to now and EIA approval is the starting gun 🥳

Thanks Rpks, another very encouraging development in my view.

The key takeaway for me is not simply that a public hearing has been scheduled, but that the project continues to move through the EIA process and towards a final determination. We now have a clear date in the diary and another milestone on the path to environmental approval.

For months the market has focused on EIA timing and whether the project would remain on track. This latest update suggests the process is progressing as expected and keeps the project moving towards the important June grant-related timeline.

Looking at the bigger picture, any future strategic partner will want confidence not only in the quality of the resource, but also in the permitting process and the commitment of both ČEZ and the Czech authorities to seeing strategic projects advance. Every milestone successfully completed helps build that confidence.

None of us can predict the final outcome before the Ministry makes its decision, but Cinovec is one of Europe’s most strategically important lithium projects and today’s news feels like another positive step in reducing project risk and increasing its attractiveness to potential partners.

A big thank you to Rpks for finding and posting this.

Truly Exciting Times Ahead …….📈