STAT/03/70
18 June 2003
April first estimates, March revised figures
Euro-zone external trade surplus 3.0 bn euro in April 2003
0.4 bn euro deficit for EU15
The first estimate for euro-zone1 trade with the rest of the world in April 2003 was a 3.0 billion euro surplus, compared with +4.6 bn in April 2002. The March 20032 balance was +2.0 bn, compared with +11.0 bn in March 2002. In April 2003, exports, seasonally adjusted, increased by 1.6% compared to March 2003, while imports decreased by 1.2%.
The first estimate for April 2003 extra-EU15 trade was a 0.4 bn euro deficit, against a deficit of 3.9 bn in April 2002. In March 20032, the balance was -6.7 bn, compared with +2.5 bn in March 2002. In April 2003, exports, seasonally adjusted, grew by 8.3% compared to March 2003, while imports fell by 1.9%.
These figures come today from Eurostat, Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg.
EU15 January-March 2003 detailed results
The energy deficit increased (-32.1 bn in January-March 2003 compared to -26.4 bn in January-March 2002), while the surplus for machinery and vehicles decreased (+15.5 bn compared to +19.8 bn). The surplus in the chemicals sector fell slightly (+16.5 bn compared to +17.7 bn).
EU15 trade flows with its major partners grew except for imports from the USA (-14%) and Switzerland (-1%) and exports to the USA (-9%) and Japan (-6%). The most notable increases were in imports from Norway (+27%) and Russia (+20%) and exports to China (+22%) and Turkey (+17%).
EU15 trade with the USA was characterised by an increase in the EU surplus (+14.4 bn in January-March 2003 compared to +13.3 bn in January-March 2002), while the EU15 trade deficit with China slightlyincreased (-12.9 bn compared to -11.8 bn) as did those with Norway (-7.5 bn against -4.8 bn), Japan (-7.5 bn against -6.4 bn) and Russia (-5.6 bn against -3.8 bn).
Concerning the total trade of Member States, the largest surplus was observed in Germany (+29.3 bn euro), followed by Ireland (+7.6 bn) and the Netherlands (+6.9 bn). The United Kingdom registered the largest deficit (-18.7 bn), followed by Spain (-9.6 bn).
Euro-zone trade – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
Flux / Apr '03 / Apr '02 / Growth / Mar '03 / Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / GrowthExtra-eurozone exports / 85.4 / 90.8 / -6% / 87.8 / r / 93.1 / -6% / 340.1 / 350.0 / -3%
Extra-eurozone imports / 82.4 / 86.2 / -4% / 85.8 / r / 82.1 / 5% / r / 331.0 / 326.3 / 1%
Extra-eurozone trade balance / 3.0 / 4.6 / 2.0 / r / 11.0 / 9.1 / 23.7
Intra-eurozone dispatches / 89.5 / 92.2 / -3% / 96.4 / r / 93.4 / 3% / r / 361.2 / 356.7 / 1%
r: revised
EU15 trade – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
Flows / Apr '03 / Apr '02 / Growth / Mar '03 / Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / GrowthExtra-EU15 exports / 82.1 / 84.1 / -2% / 78.1 / r / 84.6 / -8% / 312.3 / 320.3 / -2%
Extra-EU15 imports / 82.5 / 88.0 / -6% / 84.8 / r / 82.1 / 3% / r / 331.2 / 330.1 / 0%
Extra-EU15 trade balance / -0.4 / -3.9 / -6.7 / r / 2.5 / -18.8 / -9.8
Intra-EU15 dispatches / 128.8 / 138.1 / -7% / 141.8 / r / 140.4 / 1% / 528.3 / 536.1 / -1%
r: revised
- Euro-zone: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland.
- The first estimates for March 2003 were +1.6 bn euro for the euro-zone and -7.2 bn for the EU15. See News Release 59/2003 issued on 21 May 2003.
- This News Release is based on data available on 12 June 2003. These are provisional figures based on information provided by Member States. They are subject to frequent revision for up to two years after the month in question. Furthermore, national concepts may differ from the harmonised methodology used by Eurostat. leading to differences between figures in this release and those published nationally, both for raw data and for seasonally adjusted series.
- March intra-EU and extra-EU data for Greece are still estimates. April intra-EU data for Luxembourg and Finland are based on data from national databases. April intra-EU data for Denmark, Greece, Ireland and Austria as well as extra-EU data for Denmark and Greece are estimated by Eurostat.
- Since the introduction of Intrastat for intra-EU trade on 1 January 1993, the value of dispatches has been consistently higher than that of arrivals. In 2002, this divergence was some 100 bn euro, or about 6% of intra-EU trade. In theory, as dispatches are declared FOB and arrivals CIF, the value of arrivals should be slightly higher than that of dispatches. Eurostat uses dispatches as the more reliable measure of total intra-EU trade as, at aggregated levels, total dispatches has better coverage than total arrivals.
- Due to this divergence in intra-EU trade, and to the difficulties of interpreting figures in absolute terms at the level of individual Member States, trade balances for individual Member States must be interpreted with caution. The same caution applies to the trade balance of the euro-zone, which includes intra-EU trade with the three (four before 2001) other Member States.
- The next news release including revised data for April 2003 and first estimates for May 2003 will be issued on
21 July 2003.
Issued by:
Eurostat Press Office
Philippe BAUTIER, Tim ALLEN,
Louise CORSELLI and
Aurora ORTEGA SANCHEZ
BECH Building
L-2920 LUXEMBOURG
Tel: +352-4301-33 444
Fax: +352-4301-35 349
/ For further information on data:
Henri TYRMAN
Tel: +352-4301-35 332
Fax: +352-4301-34 339
Veronica CORSINI
Tel: +352-4301-34 978
Fax: +352-4301-34 339
Eurostat news releases on the Internet:
Euro-zone trade – previous 6 months – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
Flows / Feb '03 / Jan '03 / Dec '02 / Nov '02 / Oct '02 / Sept '02Extra-eurozone exports / 84.6 / r / 82.3 / r / 85.1 / r / 93.4 / 99.7 / r / 90.0
Extra-eurozone imports / 79.2 / r / 83.6 / r / 77.6 / 83.9 / r / 90.1 / r / 80.8
Extra-eurozone trade balance / 5.4 / r / -1.3 / r / 7.5 / r / 9.5 / r / 9.6 / 9.2
Intra-eurozone dispatches / 88.5 / r / 86.8 / r / 85.7 / r / 94.6 / r / 97.9 / r / 92.8
r: revised
EU15 trade – previous 6 months – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
Flows / Feb '03 / Jan '03 / Dec '02 / Nov '02 / Oct '02 / Sept '02Extra-EU15 exports / 76.2 / r / 75.8 / 79.2 / r / 84.2 / 92.2 / r / 82.1
Extra-EU15 imports / 79.0 / r / 84.8 / r / 76.8 / r / 84.3 / r / 91.0 / 81.1
Extra-EU15 trade balance / -2.8 / r / -8.9 / 2.4 / r / -0.1 / 1.2 / 1.1 / r
Intra-EU15 dispatches / 129.9 / r / 127.8 / r / 124.8 / r / 140.3 / 144.6 / 137.9
r: revised
Main products – Euro-zone – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Euro-zone exports / ' / ' / Euro-zone imports / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02
Primary products: / 26.5 / 25.4 / 4% / 63.8 / 56.3 / 13% / -37.3 / -30.9
Food & drink / 15.4 / 15.4 / -1% / 14.1 / 14.1 / 0% / 1.3 / 1.3
Crude materials / 5.2 / 5.2 / 0% / 10.9 / 11.0 / -1% / -5.7 / -5.8
Energy / 6.0 / 4.8 / 24% / 38.8 / 31.2 / 24% / -32.9 / -26.4
Manufactured goods: / 221.0 / 226.4 / -2% / 177.0 / 176.2 / 0% / 44.0 / 50.3
Chemicals / 39.9 / 39.5 / 1% / 25.0 / 23.7 / 5% / 14.9 / 15.7
Machinery & vehicles / 115.4 / 119.4 / -3% / 88.5 / 89.0 / -1% / 26.9 / 30.4
Other manuf’d articles / 65.7 / 67.6 / -3% / 63.5 / 63.4 / 0% / 2.2 / 4.1
Other / 7.2 / 7.3 / -2% / 7.7 / 7.6 / 2% / -0.5 / -0.3
Total / 254.7 / 259.2 / -2% / 248.6 / 240.1 / 4% / 6.1 / 19.1
Main products – EU15 – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / EU15 exports / ' / ' / EU15 imports / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02
Primary products: / 24.1 / 23.1 / 5% / 64.4 / 58.1 / 11% / -40.3 / -35.0
Food & drink / 12.3 / 12.5 / -2% / 14.0 / 14.5 / -4% / -1.8 / -2.0
Crude materials / 4.9 / 4.9 / 1% / 11.3 / 11.5 / -2% / -6.4 / -6.6
Energy / 7.0 / 5.7 / 22% / 39.1 / 32.0 / 22% / -32.1 / -26.4
Manufactured goods: / 200.9 / 207.5 / -3% / 176.3 / 176.4 / 0% / 24.6 / 31.1
Chemicals / 37.3 / 37.5 / -1% / 20.8 / 19.8 / 5% / 16.5 / 17.7
Machinery & vehicles / 103.1 / 106.9 / -4% / 87.6 / 87.1 / 1% / 15.5 / 19.8
Other manuf’d articles / 60.5 / 63.1 / -4% / 67.9 / 69.5 / -2% / -7.3 / -6.3
Other / 5.1 / 5.6 / -8% / 7.9 / 7.7 / 3% / -2.8 / -2.1
Total / 230.2 / 236.2 / -3% / 248.6 / 242.1 / 3% / -18.4 / -6.0
Main trading partners – Euro-zone – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Euro-zone exports to / ' / ' / Euro-zone imports from / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02
United Kingdom / 48.9 / 52.1 / -6% / 35.0 / 36.4 / -4% / 13.9 / 15.7
United States / 41.3 / 44.8 / -8% / 28.4 / 33.0 / -14% / 13.0 / 11.8
Switzerland / 16.4 / 15.9 / 3% / 13.0 / 12.7 / 2% / 3.4 / 3.2
China / 7.9 / 6.2 / 26% / 17.2 / 14.6 / 18% / -9.4 / -8.4
Japan / 7.8 / 7.9 / -2% / 13.5 / 12.8 / 5% / -5.7 / -4.9
Sweden / 9.7 / 9.2 / 5% / 9.0 / 8.2 / 9% / 0.7 / 0.9
Russia / 6.4 / 6.1 / 4% / 11.5 / 9.6 / 19% / -5.1 / -3.4
Poland / 8.0 / 7.9 / 1% / 6.4 / 5.7 / 11% / 1.6 / 2.1
Czech Republic / 6.6 / 6.3 / 5% / 6.7 / 5.9 / 12% / 0.0 / 0.3
Denmark / 6.3 / 6.0 / 6% / 5.8 / 5.1 / 14% / 0.5 / 0.9
Main trading partners – EU15 – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / EU15 exports to / ' / ' / EU15 imports from / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02
United States / 53.7 / 58.9 / -9% / 39.3 / 45.6 / -14% / 14.4 / 13.3
Switzerland / 17.8 / 17.8 / 0% / 14.4 / 14.5 / -1% / 3.4 / 3.3
China / 9.0 / 7.4 / 22% / 22.0 / 19.2 / 15% / -12.9 / -11.8
Japan / 9.8 / 10.4 / -6% / 17.2 / 16.8 / 3% / -7.5 / -6.4
Norway / 6.4 / 6.2 / 4% / 13.9 / 10.9 / 27% / -7.5 / -4.8
Russia / 7.2 / 6.9 / 5% / 12.8 / 10.7 / 20% / -5.6 / -3.8
Poland / 9.1 / 8.9 / 2% / 7.5 / 6.7 / 11% / 1.6 / 2.2
Czech Republic / 7.1 / 6.8 / 4% / 7.3 / 6.6 / 11% / -0.2 / 0.3
Hungary / 6.3 / 6.0 / 5% / 6.4 / 6.0 / 5% / -0.1 / -0.1
Turkey / 6.0 / 5.2 / 17% / 5.8 / 5.1 / 14% / 0.2 / 0.1
Member States’ total trade (intra-EU + extra-EU) – non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Total exports / ' / ' / Total imports / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02 / Growth / Jan-Mar '03 / Jan-Mar '02
Belgium / 53.9 / 56.2 / -4% / 50.9 / 52.4 / -3% / 3.0 / 3.8
Denmark / 15.4 / 14.3 / 8% / 12.9 / 12.6 / 3% / 2.5 / 1.8
Germany / 162.8 / 156.0 / 4% / 133.5 / 124.2 / 8% / 29.3 / 31.8
Greece / : / 2.7 / : / : / 7.7 / : / : / -5.0
Spain / 33.0 / 31.6 / 4% / 42.7 / 39.2 / 9% / -9.6 / -7.6
France / 84.9 / 86.7 / -2% / 87.0 / 88.8 / -2% / -2.1 / -2.1
Ireland / 19.6 / 24.9 / -21% / 12.1 / 15.3 / -21% / 7.6 / 9.7
Italy / 61.6 / 61.5 / 0% / 64.4 / 61.6 / 5% / -2.8 / -0.1
Luxembourg / 2.7 / 2.8 / -2% / 3.2 / 3.4 / -7% / -0.4 / -0.6
Netherlands / 66.7 / 63.4 / 5% / 59.8 / 56.8 / 5% / 6.9 / 6.6
Austria / 20.5 / 20.0 / 3% / 21.0 / 20.2 / 4% / -0.5 / -0.2
Portugal / 6.6 / 6.8 / -2% / 9.2 / 10.2 / -10% / -2.5 / -3.4
Finland / 11.1 / 11.1 / 0% / 9.3 / 8.8 / 7% / 1.8 / 2.4
Sweden / 22.1 / 21.6 / 2% / 18.6 / 17.6 / 6% / 3.5 / 4.0
United Kingdom / 65.7 / 74.5 / -12% / 84.4 / 90.8 / -7% / -18.7 / -16.3
: Data not available
ANNEX 1
Seasonally adjusted data
Seasonally adjusted series have been calculated using one harmonised methodology for all Member States. The availability of seasonally adjusted series is an important improvement in the analysis of the external trade of the EU and euro-zone as they give a complementary view of the monthly evolution of trade. Seasonally adjusted figures may not match those published by Member States, due to differences in the raw data3, in the choice of seasonal adjustment model and to the use of series in national currency or in euro.
Euro-zone trade – seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
Flows / Apr '03 / Mar '03 / Feb '03 / Jan '03 / Dec '02 / Nov '02 / Growth Apr/Mar / Growth Mar/Feb / Growth Feb/Jan / Growth Jan/Dec / Growth Dec/NovExtra-eurozone exports / 87.1 / 85.7 / 89.0 / 89.2 / 88.2 / 91.1 / 1.6% / -3.6% / -0.2% / 1.1% / -3.2%
Extra-eurozone imports / 81.9 / 82.9 / 82.4 / 83.1 / 80.6 / 82.8 / -1.2% / 0.6% / -0.9% / 3.2% / -2.7%
Extra-eurozone trade balance / 5.2 / 2.8 / 6.5 / 6.0 / 7.6 / 8.3
Intra-eurozone dispatches / 88.0 / 89.2 / 89.3 / 89.2 / 90.6 / 92.5 / -1.3% / -0.1% / 0.0% / -1.5% / -2.0%
EU15 trade – seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
Flows / Apr '03 / Mar '03 / Feb '03 / Jan '03 / Dec '02 / Nov '02 / Growth Apr/Mar / Growth Mar/Feb / Growth Feb/Jan / Growth Jan/Dec / Growth Dec/NovExtra-EU15 exports / 83.5 / 77.1 / 80.9 / 82.9 / 81.2 / 82.2 / 8.3% / -4.7% / -2.4% / 2.1% / -1.3%
Extra-EU15 imports / 81.3 / 82.8 / 82.8 / 83.7 / 81.2 / 83.6 / -1.9% / 0.1% / -1.2% / 3.1% / -2.9%
Extra-EU15 trade balance / 2.2 / -5.7 / -1.9 / -0.9 / 0.0 / -1.4
Intra-EU15 dispatches / 127.6 / 131.9 / 131.7 / 131.9 / 133.0 / 136.2 / -3.3% / 0.1% / -0.1% / -0.8% / -2.3%
Member States’ contribution to extra-EU15 trade – seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Total exports / ' / ' / Total imports / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Apr '03 / Mar '03 / Growth / Apr '03 / Mar '03 / Growth / Apr '03 / Mar '03
EU15* / 83.5 / 77.1 / 8% / 81.3 / 82.8 / -2% / 2.2 / -5.7
' / ' / ' / ' / ' / ' / ' / ' / '
Belgium / 4.7 / 3.3 / 40% / 5.0 / 4.8 / 4% / -0.3 / -1.5
Denmark / : / 1.6 / : / : / 1.3 / : / : / 0.3
Germany / 24.3 / 23.6 / 3% / 19.6 / 19.8 / -1% / 4.7 / 3.8
Greece / : / : / : / : / : / : / : / :
Spain / 3.3 / 3.1 / 9% / 4.9 / 4.9 / 0% / -1.5 / -1.8
France / 10.4 / 10.6 / -2% / 9.7 / 9.6 / 2% / 0.7 / 1.1
Ireland / 2.8 / 2.7 / 3% / 1.6 / 1.5 / 7% / 1.2 / 1.2
Italy / 10.2 / 10.1 / 1% / 9.6 / 9.9 / -3% / 0.6 / 0.3
Luxembourg / 0.1 / 0.1 / 14% / 0.2 / 0.2 / 2% / -0.1 / -0.1
Netherlands / 5.0 / 5.0 / 1% / 9.1 / 9.3 / -2% / -4.1 / -4.3
Austria / 2.4 / 2.4 / -2% / 2.2 / 2.4 / -9% / 0.1 / 0.0
Portugal / 0.5 / 0.5 / 1% / 0.8 / 0.8 / 9% / -0.3 / -0.3
Finland / 1.7 / 1.7 / 2% / 1.1 / 1.2 / -7% / 0.6 / 0.5
Sweden / 3.5 / 3.4 / 2% / 2.0 / 2.2 / -6% / 1.4 / 1.3
United Kingdom / 12.3 / 8.3 / 47% / 12.5 / 13.2 / -6% / -0.2 / -4.9
: Data not available
* Includes Eurostat estimates for Member States not available
Seasonally adjusted data
ANNEX 2
Trade of Acceding Countries
Total trade of Acceding Countries - Non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Total exports / ' / ' / Total imports / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02
Czech Republic / 10.2 / 9.9 / 4% / 10.7 / 10.1 / 5% / -0.5 / -0.3
Estonia / 0.9 / 0.8 / 8% / 1.3 / 1.1 / 17% / -0.4 / -0.3
Cyprus / : / 0.1 / : / : / 0.9 / : / : / -0.8
Latvia / 0.6 / 0.6 / 6% / 1.0 / 0.9 / 10% / -0.4 / -0.4
Lithuania / 1.5 / 1.2 / 28% / 1.9 / 1.7 / 11% / -0.4 / -0.5
Hungary / 8.4 / 8.9 / -6% / 9.6 / 9.7 / -1% / -1.2 / -0.8
Malta* / 0.5 / 0.5 / -2% / 0.7 / 0.6 / 6% / -0.2 / -0.1
Poland / 10.4 / 10.3 / 1% / 13.7 / 13.6 / 1% / -3.3 / -3.3
Slovenia / 2.7 / 2.7 / 3% / 3.0 / 2.8 / 6% / -0.2 / -0.2
Slovakia / 4.3 / 3.4 / 25% / 4.5 / 3.9 / 15% / -0.2 / -0.5
: Data not available
* Data refer to January-March 2003 and January-March 2002.
Trade of Acceding Countries with EU Member States - Non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Exports to EU countries / ' / ' / Imports from EU countries / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02
Czech Republic / 7.2 / 6.9 / 4% / 6.3 / 6.2 / 1% / 0.9 / 0.7
Estonia / 0.6 / 0.6 / 10% / 0.7 / 0.7 / 5% / -0.1 / -0.1
Cyprus / : / 0.1 / : / : / 0.5 / : / : / -0.4
Latvia / 0.4 / 0.3 / 10% / 0.5 / 0.5 / 0% / -0.1 / -0.2
Lithuania / 0.6 / 0.6 / -1% / 0.8 / 0.8 / 0% / -0.1 / -0.1
Hungary / 6.4 / 6.8 / -6% / 5.4 / 5.4 / 1% / 1.0 / 1.4
Malta* / 0.2 / 0.2 / 3% / 0.5 / 0.4 / 8% / -0.2 / -0.2
Poland / 7.4 / 7.3 / 2% / 8.3 / 8.4 / -1% / -0.9 / -1.1
Slovenia / 1.7 / 1.7 / 2% / 2.0 / 1.9 / 4% / -0.3 / -0.2
Slovakia / 2.7 / 2.1 / 30% / 2.2 / 1.9 / 14% / 0.5 / 0.2
: Data not available
* Data refer to January-March 2003 and January-March 2002.
Trade of Acceding Countries with non-EU countries - Non seasonally adjusted data: bn euro
' / Exports to non-EU countries / ' / ' / Imports from non-EU countries / ' / ' / Trade balance / '' / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02 / Growth / Jan-Apr '03 / Jan-Apr '02
Czech Republic / 3.0 / 2.9 / 2% / 4.4 / 3.9 / 12% / -1.4 / -1.0
Estonia / 0.3 / 0.3 / 2% / 0.6 / 0.5 / 33% / -0.4 / -0.2
Cyprus / : / 0.1 / : / : / 0.4 / : / : / -0.3
Latvia / 0.2 / 0.2 / 1% / 0.5 / 0.4 / 21% / -0.3 / -0.2
Lithuania / 0.9 / 0.5 / 61% / 1.1 / 0.9 / 21% / -0.2 / -0.4
Hungary / 2.0 / 2.1 / -5% / 4.2 / 4.3 / -2% / -2.2 / -2.2
Malta* / 0.3 / 0.3 / -7% / 0.2 / 0.2 / 4% / 0.0 / 0.1
Poland / 3.0 / 3.1 / -2% / 5.4 / 5.2 / 4% / -2.4 / -2.1
Slovenia / 1.0 / 1.0 / 6% / 1.0 / 0.9 / 10% / 0.0 / 0.1
Slovakia / 1.5 / 1.3 / 18% / 2.3 / 1.9 / 17% / -0.7 / -0.7
: Data not available
* Data refer to January-March 2003 and January-March 2002.