Euro area international trade in goods deficit €16.1 bn

The first estimates of euro area balance showed a €16.1 bn deficit in trade in goods with the rest of the world in August 2026, compared with a deficit of €1.7 bn in August 2025.

The euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world in August 2026 were €227.7 billion, an increase of 9.9% compared with August 2025 (€207.2 bn).

Imports from the rest of the world stood at €243.8 bn, a rise of 16.7% compared with August 2025 (€208.9 bn).

In August 2026, the euro area recorded a trade deficit of €16.1 bn, compared with a surplus of €10.7 bn in July 2026 and a deficit of €1.7 bn in August 2025.

The decline compared with the same month of previous year was driven mainly by machinery and vehicles, the balance of which fell from a surplus of €7.2 bn to a € 0.7 deficit in August 2026. The energy deficit also widened, increasing from €21.3 bn to €26.7 bn.

In January to August 2026, the euro area recorded a deficit of €5.4 bn, compared with a surplus of €90.9 bn in January-August 2025.

The euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world rose to €1 990.8 bn (an increase of 2.1% compared with January-August 2025), and imports rose to €1 996.2 bn (an increase of 7.3% compared with January-August 2025).

Intra-euro area trade rose to €1 857.6 bn in January-August 2026, up by 5.4% compared with January-August 2025.

Euro area trade - non seasonally adjusted data (bn €)
Flows	Aug 25	Aug 26	Growth	Jan-Aug 25	Jan-Aug 26	Growth
Extra-EA exports	207.2	227.7	9.9%	1 950.7	1 990.8	2.1%
Extra-EA imports	208.9	243.8	16.7%	1 859.8	1 996.2	7.3%
Extra-EA trade balance	-1.7	-16.1		90.9	-5.4
Intra-EA trade	185.3	202.4	9.2%	1 762.5	1 857.6	5.4%
Source dataset: ext_st_ea_sitc

European Union

The EU balance showed a €25.2 bn deficit in trade in goods with the rest of the world in August 2026, compared with -€7.5 bn in August 2025.

The extra-EU exports of goods in August 2026 were €202.9 billion, up by 9.4% compared with August 2025 (€185.4 bn).

Imports from the rest of the world stood at €228.0 bn, up by 18.2% compared with August 2025 (€192.9 bn).

In August 2026, the EU recorded a trade deficit of €25.2 bn, compared with a surplus of €4.0 bn in July 2026 and a deficit of €7.5 bn in August 2025.

The decrease with respect to August 2025 was driven mainly by machinery and vehicles, the balance of which dropped from a €7.3 bn surplus to a €2.5 bn deficit in August 2026. The energy deficit also widened, increasing from €24.3 bn to €31.4 bn.

In January to August 2026, the EU recorded a deficit of €46.1 bn, compared with a surplus of €76.4 bn in January-August 2025.

The extra-EU exports of goods rose to €1 767.9 bn (an increase of 0.4% compared with January-August 2025), and imports rose to €1 814.0 bn (an increase of 7.7% compared with January-August 2025).

Intra-EU trade rose to €2 906.7 bn in January-August 2026, +6.5% compared with January-August 2025.

EU trade - non seasonally adjusted data (bn €)
Flows	Aug 25	Aug 26	Growth	Jan-Aug 25	Jan-Aug 26	Growth
Extra-EU exports	185.4	202.9	9.4%	1 760.6	1 767.9	0.4%
Extra-EU imports	192.9	228.0	18.2%	1 684.2	1 814.0	7.7%
Extra-EU trade balance	-7.5	-25.2		76.4	-46.1
Intra-EU trade	292.5	322.4	10.2%	2 728.1	2 906.7	6.5%
Source dataset: ext_st_eu27_2020sitc

Main products - EU Bn €, monthly change compared to previous year
	Extra-EU exports		Extra-EU imports		Trade balance
	Aug 26	Growth rates	Aug 26	Growth rates	Aug 26	Aug 25
Total	202.9	9.4%	228.0	18.2%	-25.2	-7.5
Primary goods:	36.0	16.9%	67.1	22.0%	-31.1	-24.2
Food & drink	17.2	5.3%	13.0	-3.4%	4.2	2.9
Raw materials	5.3	15.5%	9.2	25.4%	-3.9	-2.8
Energy	13.5	36.8%	44.9	31.2%	-31.4	-24.3
Manufactured goods:	161.0	7.0%	157.9	16.2%	3.1	14.6
Chemicals	42.1	4.8%	28.0	12.0%	14.1	15.1
Machinery & vehicles	77.3	7.7%	79.8	23.8%	-2.5	7.3
Other manuf’d goods	41.7	7.9%	50.1	7.9%	-8.4	-7.8
Other	5.8	43.9%	3.0	52.5%	2.8	2.1
Source dataset: ext_st_eu27_2020sitc

Main trading partners - EU Bn €, monthly change compared to previous year
	Extra-EU exports		Extra-EU imports		Trade balance
	Aug 26	Growth rates	Aug 26	Growth rates	Aug 26	Aug 25
United States	39.3	18.5%	30.7	14.3%	8.6	6.3
China	14.7	3.2%	53.1	19.7%	-38.4	-30.1
United Kingdom	28.2	12.1%	13.2	8.9%	15.0	13.1
Switzerland	16.5	11.8%	11.2	15.1%	5.3	5.1
Norway	5.5	8.6%	10.2	38.6%	-4.7	-2.3
Türkiye	8.1	8.3%	7.3	0.7%	0.8	0.2
South Korea	4.1	17.2%	6.6	19.8%	-2.5	-2.0
India	4.1	17.6%	6.0	18.3%	-1.9	-1.6
Japan	4.6	7.2%	5.3	10.8%	-0.7	-0.5
Brazil	3.3	4.6%	4.6	23.5%	-1.3	-0.5
Source dataset: ext_st_eu27_2020sitc

Annex - Seasonally adjusted data

In August 2026 compared with July 2026, euro area seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 1.2%, while imports increased by 2.0%. The seasonally adjusted balance was €-6.8 bn, a fall compared with July (€1.4 bn).

In August 2026 compared with July 2026, EU seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 1.0%, while imports increased by 2.0%. The seasonally adjusted balance was €-12.6 bn, a fall compared with July (€-5.4 bn).

In June-August 2026, euro area exports rose by 2.5%, while imports rose by 2.1%. Intra-euro area trade rose by 0.5%.During the same period, EU exports increased by 2.5%, while imports rose by 2.6%. Intra-EU trade increased by 1.3%.

EA and EU trade - seasonally adjusted data - (bn €)
	Jul 26	Aug 26	growth rates	Jun-Aug 26	Growth rates (compared to the previous three months)
Euro area
Extra-EA exports	260.3	257.2	-1.2%	775.6	2.5%
Extra-EA imports	259.0	264.0	2.0%	782.5	2.1%
Balance	1.4	-6.8		-6.9
Intra-EA	235.4	238.1	1.1%	711.1	0.5%
EU
Extra-EU exports	231.2	229.0	-1.0%	688.9	2.5%
Extra-EU imports	236.7	241.5	2.0%	714.9	2.6%
Balance	-5.4	-12.6		-26.0
Intra-EU	371.7	376.6	1.3%	1 120.6	1.3%
Source Datasets: ext_st_ea_sitc (Euro area), ext_st_eu27_2020sitc (EU)

Notes for users

Revisions and timetable

This News Release is based on information transmitted by Member States to Eurostat before 13 Oct 2026. Figures are provisional. For more details, see information on data.

Methods and definitions

Statistics on trade in goods are transmitted monthly by the Member States, in accordance with the standard set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. For each reference month, Member States must compile statistics covering their total extra- and intra-EU trade by using estimates, where necessary. These data are available within 40 days after the end of the reference month, enabling euro area and EU aggregates to be disseminated within around 46 days.

Member States provide Eurostat with raw data, which are adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects by Eurostat. The European aggregates are computed with the indirect approach (by Member States) for total imports and exports, which guarantees additivity between the aggregate and its respective components. The estimation of seasonally adjusted data is based on the Tramo-Seats procedure, which is available in the software JDemetra+.

Data are broken down by broad categories of products as defined by the one-digit codes of the Standard international trade classification (SITC).

Geographical information

Euro area (EA21): Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.

The European Union (EU27) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.

For more information

• Website section on international trade in goods

• Database section on international trade in goods

• Euro indicators dashboard

• Release calendar for Euro indicators

• European Statistics Code of Practice