The euro area’s trade in goods surplus with the rest of the world fell to €1.0 billion in August 2025, according to the first estimates released by Eurostat, marking a significant drop from the €3.0 billion surplus recorded in August 2024.
The figure also represents a substantial decline from the €12.7 billion surplus the euro area had recorded just a month earlier in July 2025.
The downturn was mainly due to a sharp reduction in the surplus of machinery and vehicles, which fell from €18.0 billion in July 2025 to €7.8 billion in August 2025.
Compared with August 2024, the euro area balance decreased by €2.0 billion, which was primarily attributed to the decline in the surplus of chemicals, which dropped from €22.9 billion in August 2024 to €18.0 billion in August 2025, coupled with a decrease in the balance of machinery and vehicles from €9.0 billion in August 2024 to €7.8 billion in August 2025.
Euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world in August 2025 were €205.9 billion, a decrease of 4.7 per cent compared with €216.0 billion in August 2024.
Imports from the rest of the world stood at €204.9 billion, a fall of 3.8 per cent compared with €213.0 billion in August 2024.
Intra-euro area trade also experienced a slight decline, falling by 0.5 per cent from €181.7 billion in August 2024 to €180.7 billion in August 2025, based on non-seasonally adjusted data.
Focusing on the first eight months of the year, the euro area recorded a trade surplus of €107.1 billion in January to August 2025, which is lower than the €123.3 billion seen in the same period in 2024.
Euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world for this period rose to €1 945.2 billion, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared with January-August 2024.
Imports, however, saw a slightly larger increase, rising to €1 838.1 billion, an increase of 3.7 per cent compared with January-August 2024.
Intra-euro area trade also rose, reaching €1 730.6 billion in January-August 2025, up by 1.4 per cent compared with January-August 2024.
What is more, the European Union (EU) recorded a €5.8 billion deficit in trade in goods with the rest of the world in August 2025, a widening from the deficit of €2.4 billion recorded in August 2024.
Similar to the euro area, the EU balance experienced a significant decline compared to July 2025, shifting from a surplus of €11.4 billion to the €5.8 billion deficit.
This significant downturn was primarily due to a substantial decrease in the surplus for machinery and vehicles, which fell from €20.7 billion in July 2025 to €7.2 billion in August 2025.
Additionally, the deficit in other manufactured goods widened from €3.2 billion to €6.8 billion over the same period.
Compared to August 2024, the EU balance decreased by €3.4 billion.
The decline was mainly attributed to a decrease in the chemicals surplus, which dropped from €20.6 billion in August 2024 to €15.3 billion in August 2025.
The machinery and vehicles sector also saw a decline, with its balance decreasing from €11.0 billion in August 2024 to €7.2 billion in August 2025.
Extra-EU exports of goods in August 2025 were €183.6 billion, down by 6.7 per cent compared with €196.8 billion in August 2024.
Imports from the rest of the world stood at €189.4 billion, down by 4.9 per cent compared with €199.3 billion in August 2024.
For the period of January to August 2025, the EU recorded a surplus of €85.6 billion, compared with €106.6 billion in the same period in 2024.
The extra-EU exports of goods rose to €1 755.5 billion, an increase of 2.5 per cent compared with January-August 2024.
Imports for the EU rose to €1 669.9 billion, an increase of 4.0 per cent compared with January-August 2024.
Intra-EU trade rose to €2 718.6 billion in January to August 2025, an increase of 1.8 per cent compared with January-August 2024.
Looking at seasonally adjusted figures, the euro area’s balance saw an improvement from July to August 2025, increasing to €9.7 billion from €6.0 billion.
This was because seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 0.8 per cent, while imports decreased more sharply by 2.4 per cent.
The EU’s seasonally adjusted balance also increased from July 2025 to August 2025, rising to €6.1 billion from €4.3 billion.
EU seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 1.2 per cent, while imports decreased by 2.1 per cent.
In the period from June to August 2025, euro area exports to non-EA countries fell by 5.8 per cent, while imports fell by 0.6 per cent.
Intra-euro area trade rose by 1.1 per cent in the same three-month period.
During the June to August 2025 period, EU exports to non-EU countries decreased by 6.8 per cent, while imports fell by 1.2 per cent.
Intra-EU trade increased by 1.3 per cent in the June to August 2025 period.
