In the last quarter of 2025, the EU recorded a trade surplus, with goods exported to non-EU countries exceeding imports by €28.4 billion. This continues the positive trade balance, established in the third quarter of 2023, after a period of deficits fuelled by soaring energy costs from late 2021 to mid-2023.
The positive trade balance in the fourth quarter of 2025 was driven by surpluses in trade in chemicals and related products (+€49.3 billion), machinery and vehicles (+€42.3 billion), food, drinks and tobacco (+€10.8 billion) and other goods (+€7.1 billion). In contrast, trade deficits were reported for energy (-€62.7 billion), other manufactured goods (-€11.0 billion) and raw materials (-€7.5 billion).
In the fourth quarter of 2025, imports decreased by 1.4% compared with the previous quarter, while exports fell by 0.8%. Both imports and exports registered decreases for 3 consecutive quarters.
EU trade in goods, Q1 2020 - Q4 2025 (% quarterly growth rate, seasonally adjusted data). Chart. See link to the full dataset below. (....)