Luxembourg, 30/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - According to the first estimates published by Eurostat, the Euro zone recorded, in May 2001, a external trade surplus of EUR 1.7 billion with the rest of the world (1 billion in May 2000), after having experienced a deficit of 0.6 million in April 2001. Euro zone trade recorded a deficit of 2.9 billion for the first five months of this year (-0.7 billion in 2000). With regards to the Union (EU15), the first estimates for the balance of trade for this month of May indicate a deficit of EUR 6.3 billion (-6.7 billion in May 2000), less significant than that recorded the previous month (-8.8 billion). The EU 15 deficit for the first five months of 2001, is estimated at 40.6 billion (-39.4 billion in 2000). The Community Statistical Office also notes that, during the first four months of this year, Union trade rose for all kinds of products, with the exception of exports of raw materials and energy; EU trade rose with all the main partners, except imports from Japan, which remained stable. Finally, trade by the EU 15 with the United States was characterised by a relative stability of the EU surplus (9.9 billion in January-April 2001; 9.5 billion January-April 2000) while trade with Japan experienced a slight fall in the EU deficit (-12.5 billion instead of -13.9 billion for the same period in 2000). Over the first four months of the year, the EU saw the strongest deficit with China (-14.8 billion) and the strongest surplus with the United States. At the Member States level, Germany and Ireland recorded the largest surpluses and the United Kingdom and Spain the highest deficits.