Euro area goods trade with the rest of the world moved to a €7.8 billion (~$8.97 billion) deficit in May 2026 from a €15 billion (~$17.25 billion) surplus a year earlier.
Exports were nearly flat, rising 0.1 per cent, while imports increased 10 per cent, signalling stronger import pressure for Europe-facing supply chains.
Energy and smaller machinery, vehicle, and chemical surpluses drove the weakening.
May 2026 euro area balance also worsened from a €1.2 billion deficit in April 2026. Compared with May 2025, the latest figure represented a deterioration of €22.8 billion, mainly because of a wider energy deficit and smaller surpluses in machinery and vehicles, and in chemical and related products, Eurostat said in a release.
For January to May 2026, the euro area recorded a €3.3 billion surplus, down from €78.7 billion in January-May 2025, the release showed. Euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world fell 2.8 per cent to €1,214.2 billion, while imports rose 3.4 per cent to €1,210.9 billion. Intra-euro area trade increased 3.3 per cent to €1,156.7 billion.
The broader European Union (EU) balance also weakened, with the release showing a €12.1 billion deficit in goods trade with the rest of the world in May 2026, compared with a €12.7 billion surplus in May 2025.
Seasonally adjusted data in the same release showed euro area exports rose 0.6 per cent and imports rose 2.8 per cent in May 2026 from April 2026, leaving a seasonally adjusted balance of minus €5 billion.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk
