Archive:Africa-EU - international trade in goods statistics

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Figure 1: African countries export and import shares with main partners, 2017 %
Source: UNCTAD

Figure 2: EU-28, exports, imports and trade balance with African countries, 2007-2017 (EUR billion)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 3: EU-28 exports to Africa by main product groups, 2017 (shares of total exports in value)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 4: EU-28 imports from Africa by main product groups, 2017 (shares of total exports in value)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 5: EU-28 exports to African regions, 2007-2017 (EUR million)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 6: EU-28 imports from African regions , 2007-2017 (EUR million)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 7: EU-28 trade balance with African regions, 2007-2017 (EUR million)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 8: Exports to Africa by Member State, 2017 (EUR million and %)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 9: Imports from Africa by Member State, 2017 (EUR million and %)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Figure 10: Trade balance with Africa by Member State, 2017 (EUR million)
Source: Eurostat - Comext (DS-018995)

Data extracted in Month YYYY. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database. Planned article update: (dd) Month YYYY(, hh:00).

<Introduction: simple language, not too long, kind of executive summary>

Main statistical findings

Text with Footnote ^[1]

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Source data for tables and graphs

Trade EU28 with Africa countries

Data sources

EU data is taken from Eurostat's COMEXT database. COMEXT is the 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 third countries. International trade aggregated and detailed statistics disseminated via the Eurostat website are compiled from COMEXT data according to a monthly process.

Data are collected by the competent national authorities of the Member States and compiled according to a harmonised methodology established by EU regulations before transmission to Eurostat. For extra-EU trade, the statistical information is mainly provided by the traders on the basis of customs declarations.

EU data are compiled according to Community guidelines and may, therefore, differ from national data published by the Member States. Statistics on extra-EU trade are calculated as the sum of trade of each of the 28 EU Member States with countries outside the EU. In other words, the EU is considered as a single trading entity and trade flows are measured into and out of the area, but not within it.

Methodology According to the EU concepts and definitions, extra-EU trade statistics (trade between EU Member States and non-EU countries) do not record exchanges involving goods in transit, placed in a customs warehouse or given temporary admission (for trade fairs, temporary exhibitions, tests, etc.). This is known as ‘special trade’. The partner is the country of final destination of the goods for exports and the country of origin for imports.

Product classification Information on commodities exported and imported is presented according to the Standard international trade classification (SITC). A full description is available from Eurostat’s classification server RAMON.

Unit of measure Trade values are expressed in millions or billions (10⁹) 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

Trade is an important indicator of Europe’s prosperity and place in the world. The block is deeply integrated into global markets both for the products it sources and the exports it sells. The EU trade policy is an important element of the external dimension of the ‘Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ and is one of the main pillars of the EU’s relations with the rest of the world.

Because the 28 EU Member States share a single market and a single external border, they also have a single trade policy. EU Member States speak and negotiate collectively, both in the World Trade Organization, where the rules of international trade are agreed and enforced, and with individual trading partners. This common policy enables them to speak with one voice in trade negotiations, maximising their impact in such negotiations. This is even more important in a globalised world in which economies tend to cluster together in regional groups.

The openness of the EU’s trade regime has meant that the EU is the biggest player on the global trading scene and remains a good region to do business with. Thanks to the ease of modern transport and communications, it is now easier to produce, buy and sell goods around the world which gives European companies of every size the potential to trade outside Europe.