The first estimate for the euro area1 trade balance with the rest of the world in March 2006 gave a 1.2 bn euro surplus compared with +4.0 bn in March 2005. The February 20062 balance was -3.1 bn, compared with +3.4 bn in February 2005.
In March 2006 compared with February 2006, exports, seasonally adjusted, rose by 1.2 percent while imports fell by 1.5 percent.
The first estimate for March 2006 extra-EU25 trade was a 12.1 bn euro deficit, compared with -6.5 bn in March 2005. In February 20062, the balance was -15.2 bn, compared with -6.8 bn in February 2005.
In March 2006 compared with February 2006, exports, seasonally adjusted, rose by 0.7 percent while imports fell by 1.7 percent.
EU25 January-February 2006 detailed results The energy deficit grew strongly (-48.7 bn euro in January-February 2006 compared with -29.1 bn in January-February 2005), while the surplus in the chemicals sector rose (+11.2 bn compared with +8.8 bn).
The surplus for machinery increased slightly (+12.4 bn compared with +11.4 bn).
EU25 trade flows with its major partners grew. The most notable increases were for exports to Russia (+27 percent in January-February 2006 compared to January-February 2005), China and Turkey (both +26 percent) and Canada (+25 percent), and for imports from Russia (+52 percent), Norway (+41 percent), China (+32 percent), Canada (+30 percent), India (+27 percent) and South Korea (+25 percent).
The EU25 trade surplus increased slightly with the USA (+13.1 bn euro in January-February 2006 compared with +11.9 bn in January-February 2005) and remained nearly stable with Switzerland (+2.5 bn compared with +2.7 bn).