Brussels, 12/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - Euro-Algerian cooperation is growing stronger, although Algeria was for a long while the country that was most reticent to open up its trade with the EU. During the year 2012, the EU became Algeria's number one trading partner, according to recent data from the Custom's National Centre for Data and Statistics (CNIS), unveiled on Monday by APS.
Data from the CNIS show that Algerian imports from the EU reached a total of $23.86 billion in 2012, which represents nearly 51% of the country's total imports. Algerian exports to the EU account for 54.2% of the country's exports, and were worth $40.13 billion. The United States ranks as Algeria's leading client (US$12 billion), but the EU countries as a whole are the most present, the data shows. Italy leads the way ($11.67 billion, 15.77%), followed by Spain ($7.57 billion, 10.23%), and France ($6.60 billion, 8.92%). The CNIS also points to the weakness of trade with the Arab world, with Morocco the only country that is well-placed, ranking 15th among Algeria's trading partners ($1.05 billion as a client). (FB/transl.jl)