In 2025, extra-EU exports of final services reached a record level of +61 percentage points (pp) above 2017 levels, up from +55 pp in 2024.
Final services reflect a broad mix of activities, with travel-related services among the leading contributors, alongside ICT, media, computer, business and financial services. The severe disruption to international travel during the global pandemic contributed to the decline in final services in 2020 and 2021.
The exports of intermediate services were the least affected by the pandemic, with a decline of only 1 pp between 2019 and 2020, and peaking at +68 pp in 2024 before decreasing to +66 pp in 2025 compared with 2017 levels. The most common exports of intermediate services in 2025 were ‘ICT, media, computers, business and financial services’ and ‘Travel equipment and services, travel and postal services’.
Intermediate goods also reached a new record level in 2025, at +48 pp (+43 pp in 2024) compared with 2017. The most exported categories were ‘Health, pharmaceuticals, education, cultural, sport’ and ‘Construction, wood, glass, stone, basic metals, housing, electrical appliances, furniture’.
Source datasets: bop_its6_det, ext_ser_bec01, DS-059329 and Eurostat calculations
The total extra-EU imports of goods and services declined in 2020 compared to 2019, with the steepest drop again observed in final services. Imports of final services reached their peak in 2025 at +44 pp above 2017 levels, recovering after 2020, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
EU imports of intermediate services likewise peaked in 2025 at +75 pp above 2017 levels, with a 6 pp increase compared with 2024. The imports experienced only a slight decline in 2020, rebounded in 2021, and continued to grow steadily in the following years. As with exports, the most imported categories were ‘ICT, media, computers, business and financial services’ and ‘Travel equipment and services, travel and postal services’.
Imports of intermediate goods meanwhile reached its peak in 2022 with +84 pp above 2017 levels, driven largely by a surge in energy prices, and decreasing to +47 pp by 2025. ‘Mining, quarrying, refinery, fuels, chemicals, electricity, water, waste treatment’ were the most imported categories.
Source datasets: bop_its6_det, ext_ser_bec01, DS-059329 and Eurostat calculations