Switzerland was the EU's 4th largest partner for imports (6% of total extra-EU imports) and the 3rd largest for EU exports (8% of total extra-EU exports) in 2018.
Between 2008 and 2018, the EU ran a trade surplus with Switzerland (meaning that it exported more than it imported). This trade surplus was highest in 2013 at €75 billion and lowest in 2009 at €8 billion. In 2018, the EU’s trade surplus with Switzerland was €48 billion.
EU exports to Switzerland were dominated by "other manufactured products", "machinery and vehicles", and "chemicals", which together accounted for 77% of EU exports to Switzerland. These same categories dominated EU imports from Switzerland. At a more detailed level, "non-monetary gold" was the EU’s most exported product to Switzerland, while the most imported product from Switzerland were "medicaments".
Germany: main trader with Switzerland among the Member States
Among the Member States, Germany was both the largest importer of goods from Switzerland (€43 billion), and the largest exporter to Switzerland (€54 billion) in 2018.
For further information:
- Statistics Explained article Switzerland-EU international trade in goods statistics
- Overview of statistics on international trade in goods
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