Statistics Explained

Archive:Enlargement countries - international trade in goods statistics

Data extracted in September 2016. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database. Planned article update: October 2017.

This article is part of an online publication and provides information on a range of international trade statistics for the EU enlargement countries, in other words the candidate countries and potential candidates. Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Turkey currently have candidate status, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo [1] are potential candidates.

The article gives an overview of international trade developments for goods in these seven countries, covering imports and exports, as well as the trade balance. The article also presents an analysis of international trade by selected product groups (based on the SITC) and by selected partners (including an analysis of their trade positions with the EU-28).

Table 1: International trade in goods, 2005, 2010 and 2015
(million EUR)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_intertrd) and (ext_lt_intercc)
Table 2: International trade in goods, relative to GDP, 2005–2015
(% of GDP)
Source: Eurostat (nama_10_gdp)
Table 3: Exports by broad group of goods, 2015
(% of total exports)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_intertrd) and (ext_lt_intercc)
Table 4: Imports by broad group of goods, 2015
(% of total imports)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_intertrd) and (ext_lt_intercc)
Figure 1: International trade in goods with the EU-28, 2015 (1)
(% share of total exports and imports)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_intercc)
Table 5: Trade in goods with the EU-28, 2005, 2010 and 2015
(million EUR)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_intercc)
Figure 2: Cover ratio for trade in goods with the EU-28, 2005 and 2015
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_intercc)

Main statistical findings

Value of exports and imports

The total value of the goods exported from the EU-28 to the rest of the world in 2015 was 71 % higher than its level in 2005 (see Table 1). There was an even faster development to international trade flows for most of the enlargement countries over the same period (2005–2015), as some countries made reforms to develop market-based economic systems, while others continued to see trading patterns re-established following the end of the Balkans conflicts. The value of exports from Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia more than doubled, while those from Serbia more than trebled; exports of goods from Kosovo were more than six times as high in 2015 than 10 years earlier while in Albania they were almost 11 times as high. By contrast, the value of exports from Montenegro fell by more than a quarter between 2005 and 2015.

More than four fifths of all goods exported from the enlargement countries originated in Turkey

In 2015, exports of goods from Turkey were valued at EUR 130 billion. As such, Turkey accounted for more than four fifths (85.2 %) of the total value of exports from the seven enlargement countries in 2015. Serbia had the second highest level of exports among the enlargement countries (7.5 % of the total), while the third highest share was recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina (3.0 %).

The total value of EU-28 imports of goods rose at a somewhat slower pace when compared with the pace of growth for exports. There was an overall increase of 46 % in the value of EU-28 imports between 2005 and 2015 in current price terms. All of the enlargement countries except for Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded a faster expansion of imports, with imports at least doubling in Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey.

None of the enlargement countries recorded a trade surplus for goods

In 2015, none of the enlargement countries registered a trade surplus for goods. Together these seven countries recorded a trade deficit of EUR 71.2 billion. Between 2005 and 2015, the size of the Turkish trade deficit widened from EUR 34.6 billion to EUR 57.0 billion. In most other enlargement countries the trade deficit also widened during this period, the exceptions being Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina where deficits were narrower in 2015 than in 2005.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was particularly open to international trade

One indicator that may be used to analyse the relative importance of international trade in goods is the value of exports and/or imports expressed relative to the gross domestic product (GDP) — see Table 2. Note that the export and import values used in this calculation are based on national accounts data, rather than statistics for the international trade of goods, and these may differ for methodological reasons.

EU-28 exports of goods in 2015 corresponded to 31.8 % of GDP, while imports were equivalent to 29.8 % of GDP; note that these data include trade between EU Member States. Using this measure, most of the enlargement countries were seen to be more open to imports. This was particularly the case in relation to the relative weight of imports of goods entering some of the smaller economies. Indeed, the value of imports of goods into the enlargement countries (for which data are available) ranged from 31.6 % of GDP in Albania (2014 data) up to 53.7 % of GDP in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2015.

The contribution of exports of goods to GDP was slightly above the EU-28 average in Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2015, but considerably lower in Albania (2014 data), Montenegro and Kosovo (2014 data).

Structure of trade analysed by broad groups of goods

Machinery and vehicles accounted for the highest proportion of goods exported from the EU-28 in 2015, with a 42.0 % share of the total. This was considerably higher than the shares recorded for other manufactured goods (22.5 %) and chemicals (17.6 %), while each of the remaining goods categories shown in Table 3 accounted for less than 10 % of total EU-28 exports.

Other manufactured goods were the largest category of goods exported by the enlargement countries

Other manufactured goods (which cover SITC Sections 6 and 8) accounted for the highest share of total exports in each of the enlargement countries in 2015. These goods accounted for more than half of all the goods exported from Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, a share that fell to just above one third of the total in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The share of other manufactured goods in total exports was consistently higher among the enlargement countries than their corresponding share of EU-28 exports.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was the only enlargement country to report that chemicals accounted for a share of its total exports in excess of 10 % in 2015, their share rising to 22.8 % (and therefore above the corresponding share recorded in the EU-28; 17.6 %). Albania recorded a relatively high share (18.1 %) of its total exports in 2015 for mineral fuels, lubricants and related goods. Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina were the only enlargement countries to report that the share of their total exports from food, drinks and tobacco was lower than 10 %, but each of their shares remained just above the average recorded for the EU-28; note the EU-28 figure excludes intra-EU trade, which may be relatively important, especially for perishables.

Machinery and vehicles as well as mineral fuels accounted for a high share of EU imports, while there was a higher propensity to import other manufactured goods in most of the enlargement countries

Machinery and vehicles (31.0 %), other manufactured products (26.1 %) and mineral fuels (19.0 %) accounted for the highest shares of goods imported into the EU-28 in 2015; the next most common group of goods was chemicals (10.7 %). As for exports, the category of other manufactured goods generally accounted for the highest share of total imports among the enlargement countries (see Table 4), these products generally accounting for one quarter to one third of total imports in 2015. There were two exceptions: in Turkey the share of other manufactured goods was relatively low (23.4 %), while the share of imports of machinery and vehicles (31.6 %) was much higher; in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia the imports of other manufactured goods accounted for a particularly high share of imports, at 42.2 %.

Trade between the enlargement countries and the EU-28

Due to its close geographic proximity, it is not surprising to find that the EU-28 is one of the main trading partners of the enlargement countries. Figure 1 shows the relative importance of the EU-28 as a trading partner to the enlargement countries in 2015, with approximately three quarters of all exports leaving Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia destined for the EU-28, with Bosnia and Herzegovina recording a slightly smaller share (71.6 %). Just over two thirds of all exports from Serbia were destined for the EU-28, as were more than two fifths of exports from Turkey. The two remaining enlargement countries — Montenegro and Kosovo — saw exports to the EU-28 account for nearer to one third of their total exports.

In 2015, around three fifths of all imports made by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia originated from the EU-28. These four countries had the highest propensity for importing goods from the EU-28, while nearer to two fifths of all imports into Kosovo, Montenegro and Turkey originated in the EU-28.

Table 5 provides more detailed information on the development of international trade flows of goods between the EU-28 and the enlargement countries for the years 2005, 2010 and 2015. It confirms that Turkey had, by far, the largest trade deficit for goods with the EU-28, at EUR 13.3 billion in 2015; Turkey’s deficit for the latest period available was slightly smaller than it had been in 2010. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina also recorded a narrower trade deficit with the EU-28 in 2015 than in 2010, while in Montenegro and Kosovo the deficit for trade in goods widened over the same period.

An alternative measure for analysing the development of trading patterns between the EU-28 and the enlargement countries is shown in Figure 2. The cover ratio is calculated by dividing the value of exports from the enlargement countries and destined for the EU-28 by the value of imports in the enlargement countries that originated from the EU-28; a ratio of 100 % is recorded when exports and imports are balanced (in other words, they have identical values). In 2015, the cover ratio for trade in goods between the enlargement countries and the EU-28 was consistently below 100 %, underlining that each of these countries ran a trade deficit with the EU-28. Montenegro and Kosovo recorded the lowest cover ratios among the enlargement countries for trade in goods with the EU-28 in 2015, at 14.9 % and 9.5 % respectively; in other words, the value of goods imported into Kosovo and originating in the EU-28 was approximately 10 times as high as the value of exports leaving Kosovo and destined for the EU-28. The highest cover ratio among the enlargement countries for trade in goods with the EU-28 in 2015 was recorded in Serbia, at 92.8 %, while ratios above 50 % were recorded in the other enlargement countries.

The cover ratio for trade in goods between Montenegro and the EU-28 decreased from 53.8 % in 2005 to 14.9 % in 2015, reflecting the widening of the trade deficit as exports to the EU-28 fell and imports increased. By contrast, the cover ratio for all other enlargement countries (no time series available for Bosnia and Herzegovina) rose over the period 2005–2015, most notably in Albania and Serbia.

Data sources and availability

Data for the enlargement countries are collected for a wide range of indicators each year through a questionnaire that is sent by Eurostat to partner countries which have either the status of being candidate countries or potential candidates. A network of contacts in each country has been established for updating these questionnaires, generally within the national statistical offices, but potentially including representatives of other data-producing organisations (for example, central banks or government ministries). The statistics shown in this article are made available free-of-charge on Eurostat’s website, together with a wide range of other socio-economic indicators collected as part of this initiative.

International trade statistics track the value and quantity of goods traded between countries for imports, exports and the trade balance. All statistics presented in this article as monetary values are based on current price series. Traditionally, customs records were the main source of statistical data on international trade. Following the launching of the Single Market on 1 January 1993, customs formalities between EU Member States were removed, and so a new data collection system, Intrastat, was set up for intra-EU trade. In the Intrastat system, intra-EU trade data are collected directly from trade operators, which send a monthly declaration to the relevant national statistical authorities. The data presented in this article for the EU-28 and the enlargement countries come from the Comext database (Eurostat’s international trade database). Detailed international trade statistics are also available from the United Nations’ Comtrade database.

Eurostat collects statistical information on international trade developments with respect to the enlargement countries; these data are used by the European Commission to prepare annual strategy documents detailing policy developments for EU enlargement countries as well as reports on political and economic developments in enlargement countries.

Tables in this article use the following notation:

Value in italics     data value is forecasted, provisional or estimated and is therefore likely to change;
: not available.

Context

The EU has a common international trade policy, often referred to as the common commercial policy. In other words, the EU acts as a single entity on trade issues, including issues related to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In these cases, the European Commission negotiates trade agreements and represents Europe’s interests on behalf of the EU Member States.

The economic impact of globalisation has had a considerable effect on international trade, as well as financial flows. The EU seeks to promote the development of free-trade as an instrument for stimulating economic growth and enhancing competitiveness. International trade statistics are of prime importance for both public sector (decision makers at international, EU and national level) and private users (in particular, businesses who wish to analyse export market opportunities), as they provide valuable information on developments regarding the exchange of goods between specific geographical areas.

While basic principles and institutional frameworks for producing statistics are already in place, the enlargement countries are expected to increase progressively the volume and quality of their data and to transmit these data to Eurostat in the context of the EU enlargement process. EU standards in the field of statistics require the existence of a statistical infrastructure based on principles such as professional independence, impartiality, relevance, confidentiality of individual data and easy access to official statistics; they cover methodology, classifications and standards for production.

Eurostat has the responsibility to ensure that statistical production of the enlargement countries complies with the EU acquis in the field of statistics. To do so, Eurostat supports the national statistical offices and other producers of official statistics through a range of initiatives, such as pilot surveys, training courses, traineeships, study visits, workshops and seminars, and participation in meetings within the European statistical system (ESS). The ultimate goal is the provision of harmonised, high-quality data that conforms to European and international standards.

Additional information on statistical cooperation with the enlargement countries is provided here.

See also

Further Eurostat information

Publications

Database

International trade (cpc_et)
International trade data (ext)
International trade long-term indicators (ext_lti)
International trade short-term indicators (ext_sti)
International trade detailed data (detail)
Traditional international trade database access (ComExt) (comext)

Dedicated section

Methodology / Metadata

Source data for tables and figures (MS Excel)

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.


Retrieved from "https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Archive:Enlargement_countries_-_international_trade_in_goods_statistics&oldid=317133"