On 28 September 2022, Eurostat published its latest data concerning the EU’s production of high-tech products, which include for instance aerospace, electronics or pharmacy.

According to the latest results, in 2021, the EU’s total sold production of high-tech products stood at €368 billion, the highest value of the 2011-2021 decade and an 11 % increase compared with 2020 (€332 billion). Much of this increase can be attributed to the growth in the pharmaceutical sector with an increase of 25 % (from €97 billion in 2020 to €122 billion in 2021), and in the electronics-telecommunications sectors with an increase of 13 % (from €73 billion in 2020 to €82 billion in 2021). The largest category in production of high-tech products in 2021 was pharmacy, representing 33 % of the total sold production of high-tech products. Electronics-telecommunications was the second largest category with a 22 % share, followed by scientific instruments with 19 % and the other categories with shares inferior to 10 %.

In terms of trade, both EU imports and exports of high-tech products increased 13% in 2021, compared with 2020, reaching €392 billion and €385 billion, respectively. In 2021, more than half of the total EU imports of high-tech products from non-EU countries came from China (38%) and the United States (19%). In exports, the situation was reversed: the United States was the top trading partner (€98 billion), with China second (€48 billion) and representing a combined 37% share of all high-tech exports.

For more information here.