Luxembourg, 24/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The estimates published on Tuesday by Eurostat show that the eurozone had a EUR 5.4 billion (bn) trade surplus with the rest of the world in August 2001, compared with a surplus of EUR 9.2 bn in July 2001. Eurozone trade recorded a surplus of EUR 2038 bn for the first eight months of 2001, compared with 1.4 bn in 2000. The first estimate for August 2001 extra-EU15 trade was a EUR 3.2 bn deficit, compare with an deficit of 0.8 bn in July 2001. There was a deficit estimated at EUR 47.3 bn in the first eight months of 2001compared with 63.9 bn in 2000. The European Communities' Statistical Office reports that during the first seven months of 2001, the EU15 energy deficit continued to increase (+66.4 bn in Jan-July 2001 compared with -59.2 bn in Jan-July 2000), while the surplus for machinery and vehicles more than doubled to +43.4 bn from 20.2 bn.
During the same period (the first seven months of 2001), EU15 trade flows with all its major partners grew, except for imports from Japan, which fell by 5%, and from Switzerland, which were static. The most notable increases were in exports to Russia (+45%), China (+30%) and the Czech Republic (+21%) and in imports from Poland and the Czech Republic (+19% for both). EU15 trade with the USA was characterised by an increase in the EU surplus (+22.2 bn in Jan-July 2001 compared with +12.6 bn in Jan-July 2000), while EU15 trade with Japan showed a decrease in the EU deficit (+20.5 bn compared with -24.8 bn). The highest EU15 trade deficit in the first seven months of 2001 was recorded with China (+25.5 bn) and the highest surplus was recorded with the USA. Concerning the total trade of Member States, the largest surplus was recorded in Germany (+ EUR 48.3 bn), followed by Ireland (+20.8 bn). The United Kingdom recorded the largest deficit (-41.0 bn), followed by Spain (-21.4 bn).