98% of Europe's solar panels come from China.

Omissions

• The claim does not specify that the 98% figure refers to EU solar panel imports (extra-EU), not to all solar panels installed or deployed in Europe. A small but non-negligible share of solar panels is manufactured domestically within the EU, meaning the share of all deployed panels coming from China is somewhat lower — over 90% according to Bruegel.
• The claim says 'Europe' but the Eurostat data refers specifically to the European Union (EU), not the entire European continent. The difference is minor for this metric.
• The most recent Eurostat data available at the time of the claim (session date 2026-06-15) covered 2024, published in October 2025. The 2023 figure was also 98%, suggesting stability.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat Statistics ExplainedChina (98%) was by far the largest partner for extra-EU imports of solar panels in 2024 (Figure 6).
• PrimaryEurostat NewsChina was by far the largest supplier of solar panels, accounting for 98% of all imports. Although the share remained the same as in 2023, the value of imports fell from €19.0 billion in 2023 to €10.9 billion in 2024.
• SecondaryEuronewsAccording to Eurostat, China accounted for 98% of all solar panel imports into the EU in 2024.
• SecondaryBruegelMore than 90 percent of solar panels deployed in the EU are still imported from China, primarily because of their low price.