Only a small share of biodiesel consumed in the EU is produced from soybeans, and the vast majority of the soybeans used are grown in third countries.

Omissions

• The exact percentage share of soybean oil in EU biodiesel feedstock was not directly quantified in the sources found; the 'small share' is supported by the documented dominance of rapeseed oil (~36–40%) and palm oil in the feedstock mix, but no source located states the precise soy figure.
• The figure that 73% of soybeans used in EU biodiesel production are imported from South America comes from a 2018 Euractiv article (citing Transport & Environment); more recent data would be preferable given the session date of 2026.
• The claim conflates 'biodiesel produced from soybeans' (a small feedstock share) with the origin of the soybeans used, which is accurate but rests on two separate datasets (feedstock mix vs. import origin).

Sources

• PrimaryUSDA FAS – EU Biofuels Annual 2025Rapeseed oil is historically the main feedstock for biodiesel in the EU. It accounted for almost 40 percent of total feedstock in 2024 and remains the dominant feedstock, implying soybean oil is only a minor share of the feedstock mix.
• SecondaryTransport & Environment – Biofuels briefing (2021)For biodiesel, virgin vegetable oils (rapeseed, palm oil, soy) make almost 80% of the feedstock used in EU production. Rapeseed oil makes the largest share (36%) of the feedstock, followed by palm oil (30%), leaving soybean oil as a comparatively small share.
• SecondaryEuractiv – EU lawmakers vote to blacklist soy biodiesel over sustainability concernsSome 73% of soybeans used in biodiesel production are currently imported from South America, according to clean mobility campaign group (Transport & Environment).