The share of total exports from European Union member states which goes to other EU countries underwent a decline from its early 2000s high point during the global financial crisis, great recession and Eurozone crisis (2007-2012), before rebounding back to around 61.77 percent of total exports in 2023. This share is a good indicator of the relative importance of intra-EU trade, that is, trade governed by the "four freedoms" of the European Single Market (freedom of movement for goods, services, capital, and labor), vis-a-vis international trade with partners outside of the European Union. It is worth keeping in mind that the United Kingdom, a key trading partner of many European Union countries, left the EU in 2020, meaning that the country was added to the extra-EU share. The fact that this did not have a notable effect on the share of exports going to extra-EU countries points to the declining relative importance of the UK as a trade partner for the EU.

The European Union's total Exports in 2024 were valued at US$2.80 Trillion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The European Union's main export partners were: the United States, the United Kingdom and China. The top three export commodities were: Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers; Pharmaceutical products and Vehicles other than railway, tramway. Total Imports were valued at US$2.64 Trillion. In 2024, The European Union had a trade surplus of US$159.68 Billion.

International trade is an increasingly important component of the European economy. Since its early foundations were laid by the European Coal & Steel Community (ECSC) founded in 1951, trade between European member states has been at the core of the European project. International trade, that is, trade which the European Union does externally with countries who are not member states, has become a greater focus of the bloc in recent years, as the EU attempts to increase the global reach of its companies, while reaping the benefits of cheaper imports. The EU has put particular importance on reaching trade agreements with partners outside the union, as this removes trade barriers such as tariffs, quotas, as well as non-tariff barriers (such as regulations, licenses, and sanctions) which hamper trade activity. EU Trade Deals Recent trade agreements include the Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement with Canada (while not ratified by the member states' parliaments, it had been effectively in force since 2017) and the Japan-EU Economic partnership agreement, in force since 2019. The most significant regions which the EU has not concluded free trade agreements with are the United States, Russia, and China. The Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the U.S. and EU broke down at the negotiation stage, with powerful economic & political actors on the European side, such as trade unions, opposing the deal from the beginning, while the election of Donald Trump as President of the U.S. effectively ended any hopes of the deal being completed due to his "America First" trade policies. With the increasing geopolitical and economic competition between the U.S. and China, the EU now finds itself caught between the two superpowers, and is unlikely to be able to conclude a trade agreement with either without antagonizing the other country. EU trade with Russia, on the other hand, has broken down in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent sanctions imposed by the European member states.

This dataset provides values for BALANCE OF TRADE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

As of 2023, the country from which EU member states imported the most was from Germany, followed by the Netherlands. In terms of non-EU exporters to the EU, China is currently the largest trading partner, accounting for 8 percent of all imports in 2023 - a tenfold increase in its share of EU imports since 1988. Other exporters who have grown to be important trading partners for EU countries in recent decades include the post-communist countries of Poland and Czechia, both of whom joined the EU in 2004. Poland's share of EU imports has more than doubled, from 1.4 percent to 3.8 percent, in the period since its entry into the EU, while Czechia's has increased from 1.3 percent to 2.8 percent over the same period. Several exporters have declined in relative importance for EU countries during this period, with the United Kingdom, United States, France, and Italy seeing their shares decline. The United Kingdom in particular has seen its share of EU imports drop to nearly a third of their 1997 level, when the UK made up 7.2 percent of all imports into EU countries. The UK reported a significant drop in 2021, the first full year after the country left the EU, however, the UK's share of EU imports has slightly risen in subsequent years.

European Union Trade Balance: EU 27E: Extra EU: Other Manufactured Products data was reported at 6.015 EUR bn in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.124 EUR bn for Jan 2025. European Union Trade Balance: EU 27E: Extra EU: Other Manufactured Products data is updated monthly, averaging 3.835 EUR bn from Jan 2002 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 278 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.128 EUR bn in Nov 2024 and a record low of 1.548 EUR bn in Jan 2004. European Union Trade Balance: EU 27E: Extra EU: Other Manufactured Products data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.JA020: Eurostat: Trade Statistics: By SITC: European Union: European Countries Outside of EU.

The European Union's total Imports in 2024 were valued at US$2.64 Trillion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The European Union's main import partners were: China, the United States and the United Kingdom. The top three import commodities were: Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products; Electrical, electronic equipment and Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers. Total Exports were valued at US$2.80 Trillion. In 2024, The European Union had a trade surplus of US$159.68 Billion.

European Union Imports from China was US$560.36 Billion during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. European Union Imports from China - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on August of 2025.

In 2023, Germany's trade balance with Turkey was the highest among all other member states of the EU, totaling almost 11.2 billion euros. On the other hand, Romania imported more goods from Turkey than exported; therefore, the trade balance amounted to approximately -3.3 billion euros. The trade balance is the difference between the value of a country's exports and imports of goods.

European Union Imports from United States was US$355.76 Billion during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. European Union Imports from United States - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on August of 2025.

European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Other Chemic, Related Product data was reported at 8.574 EUR bn in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.897 EUR bn for Jan 2025. European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Other Chemic, Related Product data is updated monthly, averaging 2.358 EUR bn from Jan 2002 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 278 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.574 EUR bn in Feb 2025 and a record low of 0.314 EUR bn in Aug 2002. European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Other Chemic, Related Product data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.JA020: Eurostat: Trade Statistics: By SITC: European Union: European Countries Outside of EU.

European Union Exports to United States was US$571.11 Billion during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. European Union Exports to United States - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on August of 2025.

European Union Exports: EU 27E: Africa: Other Goods data was reported at 0.182 EUR bn in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.147 EUR bn for Jan 2025. European Union Exports: EU 27E: Africa: Other Goods data is updated monthly, averaging 0.150 EUR bn from Jan 2002 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 278 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.966 EUR bn in Jun 2015 and a record low of 0.056 EUR bn in Feb 2004. European Union Exports: EU 27E: Africa: Other Goods data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.JA024: Eurostat: Trade Statistics: By SITC: European Union: Africa.

Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Animal, Vegetable Oil, FatWax data was reported at -0.085 EUR bn in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of -0.145 EUR bn for Jan 2025. Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Animal, Vegetable Oil, FatWax data is updated monthly, averaging 0.025 EUR bn from Jan 2002 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 278 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.145 EUR bn in May 2008 and a record low of -0.314 EUR bn in Jan 2022. Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Animal, Vegetable Oil, FatWax data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.JA020: Eurostat: Trade Statistics: By SITC: European Union: European Countries Outside of EU.

As of the first quarter of 2025, the value of goods exported to the European Union from the United Kingdom was over 42.1 billion British pounds, compared with around 76.7 billion pounds of goods imported, resulting in a negative goods trade balance with the EU of around approximately 34.6 billion pounds.

European Union Exports to Australia was US$40.96 Billion during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. European Union Exports to Australia - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on August of 2025.

European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Raw Materials data was reported at 0.401 EUR bn in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.229 EUR bn for Jan 2025. European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Raw Materials data is updated monthly, averaging -0.053 EUR bn from Jan 2002 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 278 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.401 EUR bn in Feb 2025 and a record low of -0.520 EUR bn in Jan 2022. European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Raw Materials data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.JA020: Eurostat: Trade Statistics: By SITC: European Union: European Countries Outside of EU.

European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Food, Live Animals for Food data was reported at 2.665 EUR bn in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.549 EUR bn for Jan 2025. European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Food, Live Animals for Food data is updated monthly, averaging 1.516 EUR bn from Jan 2002 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 278 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.665 EUR bn in Feb 2025 and a record low of 0.812 EUR bn in Dec 2002. European Union Trade Balance: swda: EU 27E: Extra EU: Food, Live Animals for Food data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.JA020: Eurostat: Trade Statistics: By SITC: European Union: European Countries Outside of EU.

This dataset provides values for EXPORTS reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Sustainable development provisions have become an integral part of the European Union's (EU's) ‘new generation’ trade agreements. Yet, a growing number of empirical works show that their design varies significantly, even in the trade agreements signed with countries at similar (low) levels of development. We contend that this variation can be accounted for by discussing how the growing integration of the EU economy with specific developing countries across global value chains (GVCs) affects the domestic politics of regulatory export in the EU. European firms that operate within GVCs rely on imports of inputs produced in low-labor cost countries. These firms tend to oppose the export of those regulatory burdens that generate an increase in their imports' variable costs. The political mobilization of these actors weakens domestic coalitions supporting regulatory export strategies, which explains why the EU adopts a more lenient approach over the inclusion of sustainable development provisions in Preferential Trade Agreement negotiations with some developing countries.