Euro area
The first estimates of euro area balance showed a €1.9 bn deficit in trade in goods with the rest of the world in January 2026, compared with – €1.4 bn in January 2025.
The euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world in January 2026 were €215.3 billion, a decrease of 7.6% compared with January 2025 (€232.9 bn).
Imports from the rest of the world stood at €217.2 bn, a fall of 7.3% compared with January 2025 (€234.3 bn).
In January 2026, the euro area balance shifted to an overall deficit of €1.9 billion, from the surplus of €11.2 bn recorded in December 2025. This change was mainly due to the sector of machinery and vehicles, with the surplus plummeting from €13.2 bn to €1.6 bn.
Compared to January 2025, when the deficit was €1.4 bn, the euro area deficit increased by €0.5 bn. This change resulted from fluctuations across several sectors: the chemicals & related products experienced a significant decrease, with the surplus moving from €24.6 bn in January 2025 to €16.7 bn in January 2026; the machinery and vehicles sector also saw a decrease, with the surplus dropping from €5.6 bn in January 2025 to €1.6 bn in January 2026; conversely, the energy sector improved considerably, with its deficit reducing from €26.2 bn in January 2025 to €19.2 bn in January 2026.
In 2025, the euro area recorded a surplus of €149.9 bn, compared with €159.0 bn in 2024.
The euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world rose to €2 938.7 bn (an increase of 2.4% compared with 2024), and imports rose to €2 788.8 bn (an increase of 2.8% compared with 2024).
Intra-euro area trade rose to €2 670.2 bn in 2025, up by 2% compared with 2024.
|
Euro area trade – non seasonally adjusted data (bn €) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Flows |
Jan 25 |
Jan 26 |
Growth |
Jan-Dec 24 |
Jan-Dec 25 |
Growth |
|
232.9 |
215.3 |
-7.6% |
2 871.2 |
2 938.7 |
2.4% |
|
|
234.3 |
217.2 |
-7.3% |
2 712.2 |
2 788.8 |
2.8% |
|
|
-1.4 |
-1.9 |
159.0 |
149.9 |
|||
|
220.4 |
213.1 |
-3.3% |
2 618.4 |
2 670.2 |
2.0% |
European Union
The EU balance showed a €5.9 bn deficit in trade in goods with the rest of the world in January 2026, compared with -€5.4 bn in January 2025.
The extra-EU exports of goods in January 2026 were €189.2 billion, down by 10.0% compared with January 2025 (€210.2 bn).
Imports from the rest of the world stood at €195.1 bn, down by 9.5% compared with January 2025 (€215.6 bn).
In January 2026, the EU balance shifted to an overall deficit of €5.9 bn, from the surplus of €12.3 bn recorded in December 2025. This shift was primarily driven by the machinery and vehicles sector, which saw its surplus plummet from €16.2 bn in December 2025 to just €1.7 bn in January 2026.
Compared to January 2025, the EU deficit increased slightly by €0.5 bn. This change resulted from fluctuations across several sectors. The chemicals and related products sector experienced a significant decrease, with the surplus moving from €23.0 bn in January 2025 to €15.4 bn in January 2026. Additionally, the machinery and vehicles sector saw a notable decrease over the year, with the surplus dropping from €8.4 bn in January 2025 to €1.7 bn in January 2026. Conversely, the energy sector showed improvement over the year, reducing its deficit from €-29.3 bn in January 2025 to €-21.5 bn in January 2026.
In 2025, the EU recorded a surplus of €130.0 bn, compared with €140.2 bn in 2024.
The extra-EU exports of goods rose to €2 644.1 bn (an increase of 1.9% compared with 2024), and imports rose to €2 514.1 bn (an increase of 2.4% compared with 2024).
Intra-EU trade rose to €4 143.2 bn in 2025, +2.7% compared with 2024.
|
EU trade – non seasonally adjusted data (bn €) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Flows |
Jan 25 |
Jan 26 |
Growth |
Jan-Dec 24 |
Jan-Dec 25 |
Growth |
|
210.2 |
189.2 |
-10.0% |
2 594.4 |
2 644.1 |
1.9% |
|
|
215.6 |
195.1 |
-9.5% |
2 454.2 |
2 514.1 |
2.4% |
|
|
-5.4 |
-5.9 |
140.2 |
130.0 |
|||
|
339.9 |
332.3 |
-2.2% |
4 036.0 |
4 143.2 |
2.7% |
|
Main products – EU Bn €, monthly change compared to previous year |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Extra-EU exports |
Extra-EU imports |
Trade balance |
||||
|
Jan 26 |
Growth rates |
Jan 26 |
Growth rates |
Jan 26 |
Jan 25 |
|
|
189.2 |
-10.0% |
195.1 |
-9.5% |
-5.9 |
-5.4 |
|
|
30.1 |
-11.2% |
51.9 |
-18.5% |
-21.8 |
-29.7 |
|
|
15.7 |
-7.4% |
13.5 |
-9.1% |
2.2 |
2.1 |
|
|
5.5 |
-5.8% |
8.1 |
-4.5% |
-2.6 |
-2.6 |
|
|
8.8 |
-19.9% |
30.3 |
-24.9% |
-21.5 |
-29.3 |
|
|
153.1 |
-11.1% |
139.9 |
-6.0% |
13.2 |
23.5 |
|
|
39.8 |
-23.0% |
24.4 |
-15.1% |
15.4 |
23.0 |
|
|
71.5 |
-6.7% |
69.7 |
2.2% |
1.8 |
8.4 |
|
|
41.9 |
-4.8% |
45.8 |
-11.9% |
-3.9 |
-8.0 |
|
|
5.9 |
50.4% |
3.4 |
7.9% |
2.5 |
0.8 |
|
Main trading partners – EU Bn €, monthly change compared to previous year |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Extra-EU exports |
Extra-EU imports |
Trade balance |
||||
|
Jan 26 |
Growth rates |
Jan 26 |
Growth rates |
Jan 26 |
Jan 25 |
|
|
14.2 |
-4.7% |
46.7 |
1.0% |
-32.5 |
-31.3 |
|
|
34.8 |
-27.8% |
25.6 |
-14.8% |
9.2 |
18.1 |
|
|
27.9 |
-1.5% |
11.5 |
-12.2% |
16.4 |
15.2 |
|
|
16.8 |
-2.9% |
11.6 |
-1.1% |
5.2 |
5.6 |
|
|
8.2 |
-9.9% |
7.8 |
-15.0% |
0.4 |
-0.1 |
|
|
5.0 |
-3.2% |
8.5 |
-11.3% |
-3.5 |
-4.4 |
|
|
5.0 |
-10.2% |
4.8 |
-6.9% |
0.2 |
0.4 |
|
|
3.3 |
-8.3% |
5.5 |
-7.3% |
-2.2 |
-2.3 |
|
|
4.2 |
3.7% |
4.6 |
-23.3% |
-0.4 |
-2.0 |
|
|
2.3 |
12.4% |
5.2 |
39.6% |
-2.9 |
-1.7 |
Annex – Seasonally adjusted data
In January 2026 compared with December 2025, euro area seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 1.9%, while imports decreased by 2.8%. The seasonally adjusted balance was €12.1 bn, an increase compared with December (€10.3 bn).
In January 2026 compared with December 2025, EU seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 2.8%, while imports decreased by 3.7%. The seasonally adjusted balance was €10.3 bn, an increase compared with December (€8.7 bn).
In November-January 2026, euro area exports to non-EA countries fell by 0.7%, while imports rose by 0.3%. Intra-euro area trade rose by 0.1%.During the same period, EU exports to non-EU countries decreased by 0.6%, while imports rose by 0.4%. Intra-EU trade increased by 0.4%.
|
EA and EU trade – seasonally adjusted data – (bn €) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec 25 |
Jan 26 |
growth rates |
Nov-Jan 26 |
Growth rates (compared to the previous three months) |
|
|
241.4 |
236.8 |
-1.9% |
717.7 |
-0.7% |
|
|
231.2 |
224.7 |
-2.8% |
687.3 |
0.3% |
|
|
10.3 |
12.1 |
30.4 |
|||
|
225.9 |
222.2 |
-1.6% |
671.3 |
0.1% |
|
|
216.5 |
210.4 |
-2.8% |
641.3 |
-0.6% |
|
|
207.8 |
200.2 |
-3.7% |
615.8 |
0.4% |
|
|
8.7 |
10.3 |
25.5 |
|||
|
351.8 |
348.2 |
-1.0% |
1 046.9 |
0.4% |
Notes for users
Revisions and timetable
This News Release is based on information transmitted by Member States to Eurostat before 13 Mar 2026 figures are provisional. For more details, see information on data.
Methods and definitions
Statistics on trade in goods are transmitted monthly by the Member States, in accordance with the standard set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. For each reference month, Member States must compile statistics covering their total extra- and intra-EU trade by using estimates, where necessary. These data are available within 40 days after the end of the reference month, enabling euro area and EU aggregates to be disseminated within around 46 days.
Member States provide Eurostat with raw data, which are adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects by Eurostat. The European aggregates are computed with the indirect approach (by Member States) for total imports and exports, which guarantees additivity between the aggregate and its respective components. The estimation of seasonally adjusted data is based on the Tramo-Seats procedure, which is available in the software JDemetra+.
Data are broken down by broad categories of products as defined by the one-digit codes of the Standard international trade classification (SITC).
Geographical information
Up to 31 December 2025, the euro area included Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland (EA20). From 1 January 2026, the euro area also includes Bulgaria (EA21).
The aggregate data series commented on in this Euro indicator release refer to the official composition of the euro area in the most recent month for which data are available. Thus, Euro indicator releases with data for months up to December 2025 comment on EA20 series, while releases with data for January 2026 onwards will comment on EA21 series.
The European Union includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden (EU27).