Euro area international trade in goods surplus €36.8 bn
Euro area
The first estimates of euro area balance showed a €36.8 bn surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in March 2025, compared with +€22.8 bn in March 2024.
The euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world in March 2025 were €279.8 billion, an increase of 13.6% compared with March 2024 (€246.2 bn).
Imports from the rest of the world stood at €243.0 bn, a rise of 8.8% compared with March 2024 (€223.4 bn).
In March 2025, the euro area balance reached a surplus of €36.8 bn, primarily due to the surplus of chemicals and related products group (€42.8), which experienced a remarkable year-over-year rise of €19.6 bn. Machineries and vehicles also contributed positively, with an increase of €1.3 bn with respect to March 2024. The deficit of energy products showed a modest deterioration of €0.8 bn compared to the same month of the previous year. During the same period, other manufactured goods, food and drink and raw materials experienced declines in their balance of €2.7 bn, €1.6 bn and €0.6 bn, respectively.
In January to March 2025, the euro area recorded a surplus of €62.0 bn, compared with €55.0 bn in January-March 2024.
The euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world rose to €761.5 bn (an increase of 7.8% compared with January-March 2024), and imports rose to €699.5 bn (an increase of 7.4% compared with January-March 2024).
Intra-euro area trade rose to €658.2 bn in January-March 2025, up by 1.2% compared with January-March 2024.
Euro area trade - non seasonally adjusted data (bn €) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flows |
Mar-24 |
Mar-25 |
Growth rates |
Jan-Mar 24 |
Jan-Mar 25 |
Growth rates |
Extra-EA exports |
246.2 |
279.8 |
13.6% |
706.2 |
761.5 |
7.8% |
Extra-EA imports |
223.4 |
243.0 |
8.8% |
651.2 |
699.5 |
7.4% |
Extra-EA trade balance |
22.8 |
36.8 |
55.0 |
62.0 |
||
Intra-EA trade |
222.2 |
226.0 |
1.7% |
650.4 |
658.2 |
1.2% |
Source dataset: ext_st_ea_sitc
|
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European Union
The EU balance showed a €35.3 bn surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in March 2025, compared with +€22.3 bn in March 2024.
The extra-EU exports of goods in March 2025 were €254.8 billion, up by 15.2% compared with March 2024 (€221.2 bn).
Imports from the rest of the world stood at €219.5 bn, up by 10.4% compared with March 2024 (€198.9 bn).
Similarly to euro area, in March 2025, the EU balance reached a surplus of €35.3 bn, primarily driven by the positive balance of chemicals and related products group (€41.6), which experienced a remarkable year-over-year rise of €20.0 bn. During this period, the energy sector, while maintaining a negative balance, showed a slight improvement of €0.2 bn compared to the same month of the previous year. Meanwhile, other manufactured goods, food and drink and raw materials experienced declines in their balance of €4.4 bn, €2.1 bn and €0.7 bn, respectively.
In January to March 2025, the EU recorded a surplus of €52.1 bn, compared with €50.9 bn in January-March 2024.
The extra-EU exports of goods rose to €689.5 bn (an increase of 9.1% compared with January-March 2024), and imports rose to €637.4 bn (an increase of 9.7% compared with January-March 2024).
Intra-EU trade rose to €1 033.2 bn in January-March 2025, +1.3% compared with January-March 2024.
EU trade - non seasonally adjusted data (bn €) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flows |
Mar-24 |
Mar-25 |
Growth rates |
Jan-Mar 24 |
Jan-Mar 25 |
Growth rates |
Extra-EU exports |
221.2 |
254.8 |
15.2% |
631.8 |
689.5 |
9.1% |
Extra-EU imports |
198.9 |
219.5 |
10.4% |
580.9 |
637.4 |
9.7% |
Extra-EU trade balance |
22.3 |
35.3 |
50.9 |
52.1 |
||
Intra-EU trade |
347.8 |
356.8 |
2.6% |
1 019.7 |
1 033.2 |
1.3% |
Source dataset: ext_st_eu27_2020sitc
|
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Main products - EU Bn €, monthly change compared to previous year |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Extra-EU exports |
Extra-EU imports |
Trade balance |
||||
Mar-25 |
Growth rates |
Mar-25 |
Growth rates |
Mar-25 |
Mar-24 |
|
Total |
254.9 |
15.2% |
219.6 |
10.4% |
35.3 |
22.2 |
Primary goods: |
34.7 |
-1.6% |
60.6 |
3.4% |
-25.9 |
-23.4 |
Food & drink |
18.5 |
5.6% |
15.3 |
25.0% |
3.2 |
5.3 |
Raw materials |
6.4 |
8.9% |
9.1 |
15.5% |
-2.7 |
-2.0 |
Energy |
9.8 |
-17.4% |
36.2 |
-5.9% |
-26.4 |
-26.7 |
Manufactured goods: |
215.9 |
18.1% |
155.9 |
12.6% |
60.0 |
44.3 |
Chemicals |
73.6 |
55.0% |
32.1 |
23.8% |
41.5 |
21.6 |
Machinery & vehicles |
93.4 |
6.5% |
72.2 |
8.4% |
21.2 |
21.1 |
Other manuf’d goods |
48.8 |
2.5% |
51.6 |
12.2% |
-2.8 |
1.6 |
Other |
4.3 |
35.0% |
3.1 |
67.5% |
1.2 |
1.3 |
Source dataset: ext_st_eu27_2020sitc
|
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Main trading partners - EU Bn €, monthly change compared to previous year |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exports |
Imports |
Trade balance |
||||
Mar-25 |
Growth rates |
Mar-25 |
Growth rates |
Mar-25 |
Mar-24 |
|
United States |
71.4 |
59.5% |
30.7 |
9.4% |
40.7 |
16.7 |
China |
17.9 |
-10.1% |
48.6 |
15.8% |
-30.7 |
-22.1 |
United Kingdom |
30.8 |
4.8% |
14.7 |
5.4% |
16.1 |
15.4 |
Switzerland |
20.9 |
26.3% |
12.4 |
18.2% |
8.5 |
6.1 |
Türkiye |
10.2 |
1.6% |
9.2 |
13.5% |
1.0 |
2.0 |
Norway |
5.5 |
11.9% |
7.9 |
0.5% |
-2.4 |
-2.9 |
South Korea |
5.1 |
9.5% |
5.9 |
6.6% |
-0.8 |
-0.9 |
Japan |
5.4 |
-1.6% |
5.5 |
-2.7% |
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
India |
4.2 |
0.8% |
6.1 |
2.2% |
-1.9 |
-1.8 |
Brazil |
4.1 |
6.9% |
3.8 |
12.2% |
0.3 |
0.5 |
Source dataset: ext_st_eu27_2020sitc
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Annex - Seasonally adjusted data
In March 2025 compared with February 2025, euro area seasonally adjusted exports increased by 2.9%, while imports increased by 1.0%. The seasonally adjusted balance was €27.9 bn, an increase compared with February (€22.7 bn), marking the highest level since January 2002.
In March 2025 compared with February 2025, EU seasonally adjusted exports increased by 3.4%, while imports increased by 1.3%. The seasonally adjusted balance was €25.3 bn, an increase compared with February (€20.0 bn), marking it as the second highest since January 2002.
In the first quarter of 2025, seasonally adjusted exports and imports in the euro area increased by 7.6% and 3.4% respectively, compared with the last quarter of 2024. During the same period, exports and imports in the EU rose by 8.6% and 4.1% respectively.
EA and EU trade - seasonally adjusted data (bn €) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feb-25 |
Mar-25 |
growth rates |
Jan-Mar 25 |
Growth rates (compared to the previous three months) |
|
Euro area |
|||||
Extra-EA exports |
258.7 |
266.3 |
2.9% |
771.1 |
7.6% |
Extra-EA imports |
236.0 |
238.3 |
1.0% |
706.8 |
3.4% |
Balance |
22.7 |
27.9 |
64.2 |
||
Intra-EA |
217.7 |
213.6 |
-1.9% |
650.0 |
1.2% |
EU |
|||||
Extra-EU exports |
235.4 |
243.6 |
3.4% |
702.4 |
8.6% |
Extra-EU imports |
215.4 |
218.3 |
1.3% |
647.5 |
4.1% |
Balance |
20.0 |
25.3 |
55.0 |
||
Intra-EU |
342.2 |
337.6 |
-1.3% |
1 021.9 |
1.3% |
Source Datasets: ext_st_ea_sitc (Euro area), ext_st_eu27_2020sitc (EU)
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Notes for users
Revisions and timetable
This News Release is based on information transmitted by Member States to Eurostat before13 May 2025 Figures are provisional. For more details, see information on data.
Methods and definitions
Statistics on trade in goods are transmitted monthly by the Member States, in accordance with the standard set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. For each reference month, Member States must compile statistics covering their total extra- and intra-EU trade by using estimates, where necessary. These data are available within 40 days after the end of the reference month, enabling euro area and EU aggregates to be disseminated within around 46 days.
Member States provide Eurostat with raw data, which are adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects by Eurostat. The European aggregates are computed with the indirect approach (by Member States) for total imports and exports, which guarantees additivity between the aggregate and its respective components. The estimation of seasonally adjusted data is based on the Tramo-Seats procedure, which is available in the software JDemetra+.
Data are broken down by broad categories of products as defined by the one-digit codes of the Standard international trade classification (SITC).
Geographical information
The euro area (EA20) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
The European Union (EU27) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
For more information
Get in touch
Further information on data
Anton ROODHUIJZEN
Phone: (+352) 4301 35 792
E-mail: estat-etfree@ec.europa.eu
Michele MAROTTA
Phone: (+352) 4301 32 493