Among the many sovereignty goals of the European Union is also self-sufficiency in soy, a legume high in protein that is mainly used as feed for animals.
THE OBJECTIVE OF THE LIVESTOCK STRATEGY AND PROTEIN ACTION PLAN
The European Commission published a plan on Tuesday (the Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan) that should enable the bloc to reach 35 percent internal production of oilseeds and protein crops used for livestock feed by 2035. Last year, the EU’s internal production share was 25 percent.
THE VALUE OF LIVESTOCK FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION
Livestock accounts for 40 percent of the added value of the agri-food sector in the European Union, with an annual turnover of 400 billion euros and seven million jobs along the supply chain. In 2025, EU exports of animal products were worth 53 billion euros.
EUROPEAN DEPENDENCE ON PROTEIN CROPS FOR LIVESTOCK
The European Union is a major agri-food producer, but its livestock industry is highly dependent on imports of protein crops used as feed. The bloc is self-sufficient only for low-protein crops, while it depends on imports for 74 percent of protein-rich plants, such as oilseeds.
The clearly dominant protein crop in the Union is rapeseed, while soybean production is scarce.
WHERE EUROPEAN SOYBEAN IMPORTS COME FROM
The bloc’s largest supplier of soybeans is Brazil, with a share of 47.7 percent; followed by Argentina with nearly 20 percent and the United States with 17 percent. Other significant suppliers are Ukraine and Canada. The vast majority of European soybean imports, therefore, come from the Americas.
THE ROLE OF UKRAINE
Brussels is aiming for greater self-sufficiency to protect itself from possible disruptions in agricultural raw material supplies, or at least to diversify imports. Increasing purchases from Ukraine – which is also a candidate for EU membership – helps reduce dependence on the Americas, although the country is defending itself from an invasion and therefore cannot be considered a fully secure supplier.
However, Commission estimates say that “Ukraine could play a more important role in the European Union’s imports of plant proteins,” boasting an annual production of 13.5 million tons of protein crops. “In view of a future accession” to the Union, Brussels continues, “Ukraine could raise the [EU’s] autonomy in plant proteins from 76 percent to 86 percent.”
