Archive:International trade in cars

Data from January 2017. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database. Planned article update January 2018

The car industry is of prime importance to the economy of the European Union (EU) and plays a major role in international trade. New and used motor cars accounted for about 11 % of the total value of all extra-EU exports in 2015, but less than 4 % of the total value of all extra-EU imports.

This article describes the development of trade in motor cars both within the EU (intra-EU trade) and outside of the EU (extra-EU trade). It shows that the USA is the EU's main trading partner and that among EU Member States, Germany is the leading exporter of cars.

Figure 1: EU and other major players in world-wide trade in motor cars, 2012 and 2015
(EUR 1 000 million) - Source: Comext

Table 1: Extra EU-28 trade in motor cars, 2012-2015 (EUR million) - Source: Comext

Figure 2: Extra EU-28 trade in motor cars, main trading partners' shares for exports, 2012 and 2015
(%) - Source: Comext

Figure 3: Extra EU-28 trade in motor cars, main trading partners' shares for imports, 2012 and 2015.png
(%) - Source: Comext

Table 2: Extra EU-28 trade in motor vehicles, by category, 2015 (EUR million) - Source: Comext

Main statistical findings

In 2015, the EU exported motor cars worth EUR 196.5 billion. Imports in that same year amounted to roughly a third of that value (EUR 68.3 billion), giving an EU trade surplus of EUR 128.2 billion.

The value of extra-EU exports of motor cars increased by an average of 3 % per year between 2012 and 2015. During the same period, extra-EU imports grew at a much faster pace, at an average 9 % per year.

In 2015, the United States remained the main destination of EU's motor car exports (26 % of the total), well ahead of China (14 %). Together with Turkey (7 %) and Switzerland (5 %) they accounted for more than half of the EU market.

Over half of all extra-EU motor car imports in 2015 came from Turkey (19 %), Japan (18 %) and the United States (16 %).

Within the broader ‘road vehicles’ category (which includes lorries, road tractors, motorcycles, trailers and motor-vehicle parts), motor cars represented 66 % of extra-EU exports and 48 % of extra-EU imports in 2015. Parts and accessories of motor vehicles had a share of 21 % and 29 % respectively.

Germany was responsible for over half (55 %) of total extra-EU motor car exports in 2015. With EUR 90 billion Germany also had the largest trade surplus in the EU.

At the same time, Germany was also the largest importer of motor cars in 2015; about a quarter of the total value of extra-EU imports can be ascribed to Germany.

Trading partners

In 2015, the USA remained the number one partner for extra-EU exports (see Figure 2) with a share of 26 % (close to EUR 51 billion). China was the second export market for EU cars (14 %) followed by Turkey (7 %) and Switzerland (5 % ). Between 2012 and 2015, the largest changes in shares were observed for the USA (+7 percentage points) and Russia (-6 percentage points).

In 2014, Turkey overtook Japan as the largest partner for imports of motor car to the EU. Although Turkey's share only grew slightly from 16 % in 2012 to 19 % and 2015, in absolute terms the value of its imports to the EU increased from EUR 8.5 to 12.9 billion. In the same period the value of Japan's imports to the EU in absolute terms grew only modestly from EUR 12.0 to 12.2 billion which meant that its share dropped from 23 % to 18 % in that period. In 2015 the USA (16 %), South Korea (10 %) and China (9 %) were the 3nd, 4rd and 5th largest partners for imports of motor cars, remaining so at the respective ranks they had in 2012.

Contributions of Member States

Looking at the trade in motor cars by individual Member State (see Table 1), Germany alone was responsible for well over half (55 %) of the EU total exports in 2015. The United Kingdom, ranking second, registered about a fifth of the German export value with a share of 12 %. In relative terms, i.e. compared to their total extra-EU trade, exports of motor cars from Member States such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia were fairly significant in 2015. This was also true for Lithuania in 2012 but no longer in 2015 as exports dropped down from almost EUR 1 billion to just over a quarter of a million, which meant an average annual growth rate of -35 %.

Annual average growth of EU exports of motor cars was 3 % between 2012 and 2015. About half of the EU Member States showed an increase of motor cars exports. Annual average growth rates were particularly high in Croatia (+34 %) and Cyprus (+14 %) although their shares remain of minor importance. Italy (+38 %) had the third largest growth rate. Besides Lithuania there were three other countries that had a negative growth rate of more than 10 %: Estonia (-12 %), Greece (-22 %) and Luxembourg (-16 %).

With a trade value of EUR 17.0 billion in 2015, Germany’s share in total EU imports of motor cars was the most significant (25 % of the EU imports), followed by Belgium and the United Kingdom, both with shares of 14 %. Looking at the development between 2012 and 2015, German imports displayed an average annual increase of 6 %. Malta stood out as the Member State where imports have experienced the most noticeable relative increase (+48 % per year on average), while Croatia (-33 %) had the largest relative decrease.

Ten Member States featured trade deficits in 2015, the largest were registered by Belgium (- EUR 3.7 billion) and Slovenia (- EUR 0.9 billion). The largest trade surpluses in 2015 were achieved by Germany (EUR 90.5 billion) and the United Kingdom (EUR 15.1 billion).

Motor vehicles

‘Motor cars and other motor vehicles for transporting people', represented 11 % (EUR 196.5 billion) of total extra-EU exports and 4 % (EUR 68.3 billion) of total extra-EU imports in 2015 (see Table 2). All subcategories of ‘Motor vehicles’ generated trade surpluses except ‘Motor cycles and cycles’, which accumulated a deficit of EUR 4.7 billion.

‘Motor cars and other motor vehicles for transporting people’ is the main category of ‘Motor vehicles’, with a share of around 66 % of exports and 48 % of imports. ‘Parts and accessories of motor vehicles’ follows with shares of 21 % of exports and 29 % of imports. In relative terms, two other sectors are noteworthy: ‘Motor cycles and cycles’ are mainly imported (11 % of motor vehicle imports), while ‘Motor vehicles for the transport of goods’ are mainly exported (7 % of motor vehicles exports).

The average annual growth rates of the different categories show three growing categories as well as three shrinking categories in exports. The fastest growing categories were 'Motor cars and other motor vehicles for transporting people’ and ‘motor cycles and cycles’ (both +6 % in average between 2012 and 2015) while the largest decrease was in 'trailers and semi-trailers (-8 %). In imports all categories grew with average annual rates from +5 % for 'Motor cycles and cycles' to +23 % for 'Road vehicles, not elsewhere specified'.

Data sources and availability

EU data comes from Eurostat’s COMEXT database.

COMEXT is the Eurostat reference database for international trade in goods. It provides access not only to both recent and historical data from the EU Member States but also to statistics of a significant number of non-EU countries. International trade aggregated and detailed statistics disseminated from Eurostat website are compiled from COMEXT data according to a monthly process. Because COMEXT is updated on a daily basis, data published on the website may differ from data stored in COMEXT in case of recent revisions.

European statistics on international trade in goods are compiled according to the EU concepts and definitions and may, therefore, differ from national data published by Member States.

Product classification

Products of the road vehicles sector are defined according to the fourth revision of the Standard international trade classification. They include divisions for 781 Motor cars and other motor vehicles for transporting people; 782 Motor vehicles for the transport of goods and special-purpose motor vehicles; 783 Road vehicles, not elsewhere specified (tractors, etc); 784 Parts and accessories of motor vehicles; 785 Motor cycles and cycles, motorized and non-motorized; invalid carriages, as well as 786 Trailers and semi-trailers.

Unit of measure

Trade values are expressed in millions (10⁶) of euros. They correspond to the statistical value, i.e. to the amount which would be invoiced in case of sale or purchase at the national border of the reporting country. It is called a FOB value (free on board) for exports and a CIF value (cost, insurance, freight) for imports.

Context

The automobile industry remains of prime importance for the EU, producing about a quarter of the world total of cars. The industry accounts for 5 % of employment in the EU and is an important contributor to many of the EU's national economies. In Germany, for example, the industry's share in manufacturing as a whole is close to 20 %, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. Trade in new and used motor cars accounts for a substantial part of the EU total, with close to 6 % of the total value of all extra-EU exports in 2011. The industry has suffered from the financial crisis which started in 2008 and is also under pressure from environmental regulation to curb tailpipe emissions.

Further Eurostat information

Data visualisation

Main tables

International trade in goods, see:

International trade in goods - long-term indicators (t_ext_go_lti)

International trade of machinery and transport equipment (SITC 7), by declaring country (tet00009)

Extra-EU28 trade of machinery and transport equipment (SITC 7), by Member State (tet00059)

Extra-EU28 trade of machinery and transport equipment (SITC 7), by main partners (tet00030)

International trade in goods - short-term indicators (t_ext_go_sti)

Imports of goods - machinery and transport equipment (teiet170)

Exports of goods - machinery and transport equipment (teiet070)

Database

International trade in goods, see:

International trade in goods - aggregated data (ext_go_agg)

International trade in goods - detailed data (detail)

Other information — Legal background

Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 of 6 May 2009 on Community statistics relating to external trade with non-member countries
Regulation (EU) No 92/2010 of 2 February 2010 implementing Regulation (EC) No 471/2009, as regards data exchange between customs authorities and national statistical authorities, compilation of statistics and quality assessment
Regulation (EU) No 113/2010 of 9 February 2010 implementing Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 , as regards trade coverage, definition of the data, compilation of statistics on trade by business characteristics and by invoicing currency, and specific goods or movements.

External links