The eurozone closes the first half with a surplus after cutting Russian and Chinese imports

MADRID, 17 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The euro zone posted a positive balance of 5.3 billion euros in its trade balance in the first half of 2023, in contrast to the deficit of 151.8 billion in the same period of the previous year, according to data from the European statistical office, Eurostat.

In the first six months of the year, exports of goods from the euro zone to the rest of the world totaled 1.434 billion euros, an increase of 3.2% compared to the same period in 2022, while imports fell by 7.3%. , up to 1,429 billion.

In the European Union as a whole, exports of goods in the first semester totaled 1,286 billion, 3.9% more, while imports decreased by 10.4%, up to 1,290 billion, resulting in a deficit of 4,200 million euros, 98% less than the negative balance of 201,300 million recorded in the first half of 2022.

Between January and June 2023, the United States was the main trading partner of the EU, with exports worth 246.2 billion (-0.3%) and imports of 172.5 billion (2.7%), which represented a surplus for the EU of 73,700 million in the first semester, 6.8% less.

In the case of China, EU exports in the first semester totaled 113.7 billion (1.2%) and purchases from the Asian giant reached 262.4 billion (-13%), reducing the trade deficit with China to 148.7 billion, 21.4% less.

Likewise, the most significant change is observed in the trade relations of the EU with Russia, after the exports of the Twenty-seven in the first semester reached 20,500 million euros (-31%) and purchases from Russia were limited to 29,300 million (-76%).

In this way, the trade deficit of the EU with Russia was reduced in the first semester to 8,700 million euros, more than 90% below the negative balance of the trade balance of the first half of last year.