Euro zone March trade surplus up to €30.9bn

The first estimate for euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world in March 2017 was €202.3 billion, up 13% on March 2016, according to Eurostat, the European Union statistics office.

Imports from the rest of the world stood at €171.4 billion, up 14% on March 2016.

As a result, the euro area recorded a €30.9 billion surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in March 2017, compared with a €28.2 billion surplus in March 2016.

Intra-euro area trade rose to €168.1 billion in March 2017, up 12%.

For the January to March 2017 period, euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world stood at €536.5 billion, an increase of 10% on January-March 2016, and imports stood at €489.9 billion, up 12% on January-March 2016.

As a result, the euro area recorded a surplus of €46.7 billion, down from the €51.1 billion surplus in January- March 2016.

Intra-euro area trade rose to €461.2 billion in January-March 2017, up 9% on January-March 2016.

For the whole European Union, the first estimate for extra-EU28 exports of goods in March 2017 was €175.6 billion, up 16% on March 2016.

Imports from the rest of the world stood at €165.1 billion, up 14% on March 2016.

As a result, the EU28 recorded a €10.5 billion surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in March 2017, compared with a €5.9 billion surplus in March 2016.

Intra-EU28 trade rose to €303.1 billion in March 2017, up 11% on March 2016.

For January to March 2017, extra-EU28 exports of goods stood at €462.5 billion, up 13% on January-March 2016, and imports stood at €468.2 billion, up 13%.

As a result, the EU28 recorded a deficit of €5.7 billion, compared with a €3.7 billion deficit in January-March 2016.

Intra-EU28 trade rose to €831.6 billion in January-March 2017, up 8% on January-March 2016.