Brussels: The Community statistics office Eurostat reported today that the European Union (EU) registered a deficit of 5.4 billion euros in its international trade. This deficit pertains to the trade of goods with the rest of the world during January 2025.
According to Lao News Agency, this recent figure stands in stark contrast to the surplus of 6.7 billion euros that was recorded in January 2024. Exports from the EU-27 to the rest of the world increased by 4.4%, reaching 208.7 billion euros in January this year compared to the same month in 2024. However, imports experienced a sharper rise of 10.9%, totaling 214.1 billion euros.
Eurostat also highlighted that in December 2024, the EU managed to secure a trade surplus of 15.9 billion euros. The transition from a surplus at the end of last year to a deficit at the start of 2025 was largely attributed to a decline in the surplus of machinery and vehicles, which dropped from 19.1 billion euros to nine billion euros.