Between 2000 and 2010, EU27 trade in goods with the 6 Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) grew significantly, despite a distinct decline in 2009. From 2000 to 2008, exports increased from 8.8 billion euro to a peak of 37.1 bn. After falling to 23.2 bn in 2009, they partially recovered in 2010 to reach 29.5 bn. Imports followed the same pattern as exports. They grew from 7.8 bn in 2000 to 31.6 bn in 2008, then dropped to 19.0 bn in 2009, before increasing to 25.2 bn in 2010. As a result, the trade surplus of the EU27 with the Eastern Partnership grew from 1.0 bn in 2000 to 4.4 bn in 2010.

Compared with the first half of 2010, EU27 trade with the Eastern Partnership continued to grow in the first half of 2011. Exports rose from 12.8 bn in the first six months of 2010 to 16.5 bn in the first half of 2011, and imports from 11.7 bn to 17.7 bn. The EU27 balance in trade of goods with the Eastern Partnership turned from a surplus of 1.2 bn in the first half of 2010 to a first-time deficit of 1.3 bn in the same period of 2011.

The share of the Eastern Partnership in the EU27's total external trade has more than doubled over ten years: while exports made up 1.0% in 2000, their share rose to 2.2% in the first half of 2011 and imports were up from 0.8% to 2.1%.

On the occasion of the Eastern Partnership summit, which takes place on 29 and 30 September 2011 in Poland, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, issues data on trade in goods between the 27 Member States of the EU and the 6 Eastern Partnership countries.

Germany, Italy and Poland accounted for half of the trade with the Eastern Partnership…

Among the EU27 Member States, Germany, Italy and Poland were the most important trading partners of the Eastern Partnership in the first half of 2011. Germany (4.3 bn euro or 26% of total exports) was the largest exporter, followed by Poland (2.3 bn or 14%) and Italy (1.3 bn or 8%). Italy (6.3 bn or 35% of total imports) was the largest importer, followed by Germany (1.9 bn or 11%), France (1.8 bn or 10%) and Poland (1.4 bn or 8%). The largest surplus in the first half of 2011 was registered by Germany (+2.4 bn) and the largest deficits by Italy (-5.0 bn) and France (-1.1 bn).

Nearly 40% of EU27 exports to the Eastern Partnership in the first half of 2011 were machinery and vehicles2, while other manufactured goods2 accounted for around a quarter. Energy accounted for half of imports and other manufactured goods for almost a quarter.

…and Ukraine accounted for half of Eastern Partnership trade with the EU

Among the Eastern Partnership countries, Ukraine (9.6 bn euro or 58% of total exports) was the leading destination for EU27 exports in the first half of 2011, followed by Belarus (4.0 bn or 24%). The leading source of EU27 imports from the Eastern Partnership was also Ukraine (7.8 bn or 44% of total imports), followed by Azerbaijan (7.2 bn or 40%). The largest EU27 surpluses in trade with the Eastern Partnership in the first half of 2011 were recorded with Belarus (+2.1 bn) and Ukraine (+1.8 bn), and the highest deficit with Azerbaijan (-6.0 bn).