The EU imports 98% of its rare earths from China.

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The claim that the EU imports 98% of its rare earths from China is factually incorrect for rare earth elements. Eurostat data shows China's share was 46.8% by weight (40% by value) in 2025. Even the ECB's broader estimate of 70% for the euro area is well below 98%.

The 98% figure actually describes the EU's dependency on China for rare-earth permanent magnets, a specific downstream product, not rare earth elements in general. The MEP incorrectly applies this figure to all rare earths.

Omissions

• The MEP conflates rare earth elements (raw materials) with rare-earth permanent magnets (processed components). The 98% dependency figure is widely cited for rare-earth magnets, not for rare earth elements in general.
• According to Eurostat's 2025 data, Russia is the EU's second-largest supplier of rare earth elements at 25.9% by weight, and the top three origins (China, Russia, Norway) account for 96% of imports by weight — China alone is far from the 98% claimed.
• The Eurostat 2025 data was published on 2026-06-29, after the session date of 2026-06-17, meaning the MEP could not have cited this specific dataset. However, earlier Eurostat and ECB data available before the session also showed figures well below 98% for general rare earth imports.
• The MEP does not specify whether the claim refers to weight, value, or a specific category of rare earth products, making the already overstated figure even more misleading.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostatIn 2025, most of the rare earth elements were imported from China (46.8% of total weight, or 7,100 tonnes). The second-largest partner was Russia (25.9%; 3,900 tonnes), followed by Norway (7.3%; 1,100 tonnes).
• PrimaryEurostat Statistics ExplainedMeasured in value, in 2025, the top 3 origins of REE+ imports accounted for two-thirds of EU imports. The bulk of EU imports of REE+ originated from China (40%), followed by Norway (15%) and Malaysia (11%). Measured in weight the share of the top 3 was 96%.
• PrimaryEuropean Central BankChina supplies 70% of the euro area's rare earth imports (Chart A, first column).
• SecondaryWorld Economic ForumThe EU has virtually no domestic rare-earth production. It sources 98% of its rare-earth magnet demand from Chinese suppliers.