Raw materials: Rare earths: Germany particularly dependent on China

When importing so -called rare earths, Germany within the EU is particularly dependent on China. Last year, 3,400 tons of the fabric group came from the People’s Republic, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office. That was 65.5 percent of the total imports of rare earths.

In the previous year, the Chinese had delivered 69.1 percent of the larger import quantity. Individual substances such as neodymium, praseodym and samarium, which are used, among other things for permanent magnets in electrical engines, were also almost completely imported from China in 2024.

Germany is therefore unfavorable in European comparison, because the import quota from China for the entire EU is 46 percent. However, the next largest delivery countries are the Russia (28.4 percent) and Malaysia (19.9 percent). In the trade conflict with the United States, China uses the rare earth as a means of pressure.

The second most important country of origin on the German market was Austria in 2024 with a quantity of 23.2 percent. This was followed by Estonia with 5.6 percent. Rare earths are processed in these two countries, and the original origin is not statistically demonstrable.

According to researcher Isabella Goourevich from the Munich IFO Institute, Ukraine could play a key role in EU raw material supply. In the country attacked by Russia, there are reserves for two thirds of the 34 as critically classified raw materials, which the United States also strives for. “So that Ukraine can become a central partner for the European supply chains in the medium term, more than mining is needed,” says Goourevich. Investments in the processing of these raw materials should also follow-in Ukraine itself or in cooperation with EU countries.