Following a sharp fall in 2009,EU27 international trade in goods with Russia recovered in 2010 and 2011.EU27 exports to Russia fell from EUR 105 billion in 2008 to 66 billion in 2009,then rose to 86 billion in 2010 and 108 billion in 2011.Imports decreased from 178 billion in 2008 to 118 billion in 2009,then increased to 161 billion in 2010 and 199 billion in 2011.As a result,the EU27 trade deficit with Russia rose from 52 billion in 2009 to 75 billion in 2010 and 91 billion in 2011.
The first nine months of 2012 showed continued growth in EU27 trade with Russia.Exports rose by 15%,from 79 billion in the first nine months of 2011 to 91 billion in the same period of 2012,while imports increased by 5%,from 149 billion to 157 billion.As a result of this faster growth in exports,the EU27 trade deficit with Russia decreased from 70 billion in the first nine months of 2011 to 65 billion in the same period of 2012.In the first nine months of 2012,Russia was the EU27's third most important trading partner after the USA and China,accounting for 7%of EU27 exports and 12%of EU27 imports.
Germany accounts for about a third of EU27 exports to Russia and a fifth of imports from Russia.Among the EU27 Member States,Germany(28.2 billion euro or 31%of EU exports)was by far the largest exporter to Russia in the first nine months of 2012,followed by Italy(7.3 billion or 8%),France(7.0 billion or 8%)and the Netherlands(6.1 billion or 7%).Germany(29.6 billion or 19%of EU imports)was also the largest importer,followed by the Netherlands(22.1 billion or 14%),Poland(15.8 billion or 10%),Italy(13.9 billion or 9%)and France(8.7 billion or 6%).
Eighteen Member States recorded deficits in trade with Russia in the first nine months of 2012,the largest being observed in the Netherlands(-15.9 billion euro),Poland(-10.2 billion),Italy(-6.6 billion)and Spain(-3.9 billion).Surpluses were modest,the highest being recorded in Denmark(+0.7 billion).
Just over 85%of EU27 exports to Russia in the first nine months of 2012 were manufactured goods,while energy accounted for more than three quarters of imports.
