Data from the Eurostat showed that in February, the trade surplus rose to 24.0 billion euros from 0.8 billion euros in January (revised from 1.0 billion euros). Economists had expected the surplus to be 15.1 billion euros. Compared to the same period last year, the surplus in the chemicals sector saw a remarkable increase, from 19.2 billion euros to 30.3 billion euros. Meanwhile, sectors such as machineries & vehicles and other manufactured goods experienced a slight decrease compared to February 2024.
Exports of goods increased by 6.2% per year, to 248.7 billion euros, while imports of goods increased by 5.7% per year, to 224.7 billion euros.
According to the report, from January to February, exports of goods increased by 4.5% per year, to 480.9 billion euros, and imports increased by 6.6% per year, to 456.1 billion euros. As a result, the trade surplus amounted to 24.8 billion euros, compared with 32.3 billion euros in January to February 2024. Intra-euro area trade rose to 429.1 billion euros in January-February, an increase of 0.2% compared with January-February 2024.
The data also showed that in January to February, extra-EU exports of goods rose by 5.8% per year, to 434.3 billion euros, and imports rose by 9.1% per year, to 416.9 billion euros. As a result, the EU recorded a surplus of 17.4 billion euros, compared with 28.5 billion euros in January-February 2024.. Intra-EU trade remained steady at 671.8 billion euros during January–February 2025, showing no significant change compared to the same period in 2024.