Villy Søvndal· Verts/ALE

Unverifiable

The US and China today deliver 60 percent of components for drones.

Omissions

• The claim conflates the EU's 60% procurement target (for EU-made drones) with supplier market share data; no source found verifies the specific 60% figure for combined US and China component supply to the EU.
• China alone is estimated to control 80% or more of the global drone market (components and finished units) according to Atlantic Council estimates from 2024, which would make the 60% combined figure for US+China an underestimate if applied globally.
• The Rabobank report states EU producers supply under 30% of military drones used, implying 70%+ comes from non-EU sources, but does not break this down between US, China, and other suppliers.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Commission - Strategic dependencies and capacitiesStrategic dependencies analysis including rare earth elements critical for drone manufacturing; China provided 98% of EU's REE supply in 2012-2016 period
• SecondaryRabobank - European drone investments: Mapping the value chainEU producers currently supply under 30% of military drones used; mentions 60% EU procurement target
• SecondaryReuters - Conflict, drones, rare earths drive China supply chain dependence fearsAtlantic Council estimated China dominated 80 percent of the global drone market as of 2024
• SecondaryIDN Financials - China controls 80% drone supply chainBy 2024, China was estimated to control 80% of the global drone market, both in finished units and components