The EU28 trade surplus with the Eastern Partners (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) increased from 0.7 bn in the first half of 2012 to 3.3 bn in the same period of 2013, according to figures released Tuesday by Eurostat.
The statistical office of the EU said that over the last decade, EU28 international trade in goods with the six Eastern Partnership countries grew significantly, despite a strong decline in 2009.
According to Eurostat, between 2002 and 2012, the EU28 registered a continuous trade surplus with the Eastern Partners, with the exception of a 1.2 bn deficit in 2011. The surplus in 2012 amounted to 4.1 bn. In the first six months of 2013, EU28 exports to the Eastern Partners continued to grow compared with the first half of 2012, from 18.0 bn euro to 19.4 bn, while imports decreased, from 17.3 bn to 16.1 bn. Consequently, the EU28 trade surplus with the Eastern Partners increased further, from 0.7 bn in the first half of 2012 to 3.3 bn in the same period of 2013. The Eastern Partnership countries accounted for around 2% of EU28 trade in goods.
Eurostat said that on the occasion of the 3rd Eastern Partnership summit, which will take place on 28 and 29 November 2013 in Vilnius in Lithuania, it issues data on trade in goods between the 28 member states of the EU and the six Eastern Partnership countries.
Germany, Italy and Poland are the most important trading partners of the Eastern Partnership, according to Eurostat.
Among the EU28 Member States, Germany (4.7 bn euro or 24% of EU exports) was the largest exporter to the Eastern Partnership countries in the first half of 2013, followed by Poland (3.0 bn or 15%) and Italy (1.6 bn or 8%). Italy (4.4 bn or 27% of EU imports) was the largest importer, followed by Germany (2.1 bn or 13%), France (1.2 bn or 7%) and Poland (1.1 bn or 7%).
Ukraine accounted for half of Eastern Partnership trade with the EU.
Among the Eastern Partnership countries, Ukraine (11.2 bn euro or 58% of total exports) was the leading destination for EU28 exports in the first half of 2013, followed by Belarus (4.1 bn or 21%). The leading source of EU28 imports from the Eastern Partners was also Ukraine (7.1 bn or 44% of total imports), followed by Azerbaijan (6.3 bn or 39%).
