The first estimate for the euro area (EA16) trade balance with the rest of the world in October 2009 gave a 8.8 bn euro surplus, compared with -1.2 bn in October 2008. The September 2009 balance was +0.9 bn, compared with -6.0 bn in September 2008. In October 2009 compared with September 2009, seasonally adjusted exports fell by 0.2% and imports by 2.2%.

The first estimate for the October 2009 extra-EU271 trade balance was a 3.8 bn euro deficit, compared with -18.3 bn in October 2008. In September 2009 the balance was -11.1 bn, compared with -24.5 bn in September 2008. In October 2009 compared with September 2009, seasonally adjusted exports rose by 0.2%, while imports fell by 1.0%. These data are released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, which recently published that EU27 surplus in trade in services had fell to 78 bn euro in 2008

The EU27 deficit decreased for energy (-172.4 bn euro in January-September 2009 compared with -293.7 bn in January-September 2008) and for raw materials (-14.1 bn compared with -31.8 bn). The surplus fell for machinery and vehicles (+77.0 bn compared with +115.3 bn), but rose for chemicals (+58.8 bn compared with +56.8 bn).

EU27 trade flows with all of its major partners fell. The largest decreases were recorded for exports to Russia (-40% in January-September 2009 compared with January-September 2008), Turkey (-27%), Brazil (-23%), South Korea (-22%) and the USA (-20%), and for imports from Russia (-42%), Norway (-30%), Japan and Brazil (both -28%) and Turkey (-26%). The smallest falls were observed for exports to China (-1%) and imports from Switzerland (-8%).

The EU27 trade surplus fell with the USA (+30.7 bn euro in January-September 2009 compared with +48.9 bn in January-September 2008) and Switzerland (+10.1 bn compared with +13.6 bn). The EU27 trade deficit decreased with China (-99.1 bn compared with -120.4 bn), Russia (-34.6 bn compared with -61.2 bn), Norway (-24.6 bn compared with -40.5 bn) and Japan (-14.9 bn compared with -25.8 bn).

Concerning the total trade of Member States, the largest surplus was observed in Germany (+91.7 bn euro in January-September 2009), followed by Ireland (+29.7 bn), the Netherlands (+27.9 bn) and Belgium (+11.0 bn). The United Kingdom (-69.9 bn) registered the largest deficit, followed by France (-38.6 bn), Spain (-36.8 bn), Greece (-21.6 bn) and Portugal (-13.5 bn).