In 2017, the United States and China were by far the two largest commercial partners of the EU, but although it made a surplus of €120 billion with the former, it once again made a large deficit with the latter, to the tune of €176 billion, according to data published by the statistical office of the European Union, Eurostat, on Monday 26 March.
The bilateral trade in goods between the EU and the United States stood at €631 billion (16.9% of the EU's total trade in goods) and trade between the EU and China, whose share in European trade has virtually tripled since 2000, was worth €573 billion (15.3%). They are followed by Switzerland (7.0%), Russia (6.2%), Turkey (4.1%) and Japan (3.5%).
Eurostat also notes that intra-European trade is still predominant for the 28 member states. Only Cyprus (63% of its exports) and the United Kingdom (52%) export more goods to third countries than within the EU.
The Netherlands, which has been hit by the 'Rotterdam effect' (registration in the Netherlands of goods arriving in Europe in Dutch ports, but destined for other EU countries), is the only country of the 28 for which less than half of imports (46%) originate in the EU. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)