In September 2021, German exports were down by 0.7% and imports were up by 0.1% on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis compared with August 2021.
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Based on provisional data, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that, after calendar and seasonal adjustment, exports were 0.3% lower and imports 7.8% higher than in February 2020, the month before restrictions were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany.
In September 2021, exports of goods amounted to 117.8 billion euros and imports of goods to 101.6 billion euros. Compared with September 2020, exports increased by 7.1% and imports by 12.9% in September 2021.
The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 16.2 billion euros in September 2021. In September 2020, the surplus amounted to 20.0 billion euros. The calendar and seasonally adjusted surplus in September 2021 was 13.2 billion euros.
Balance
The current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of 19.6 billion euros in September 2021, which takes into account the balances of trade in services (-1.9 billion euros), primary income (+10.4 billion euros) and secondary income (-4.9 billion euros). In September 2020, the current account showed a surplus of 25.0 billion euros.
Trade with EU countries
In September 2021, Germany exported goods to the value of 64.6 billion euros to the Member States of the European Union (EU), while it imported goods to the value of 53.5 billion euros from those countries.
Compared with September 2020, exports to the EU countries increased by 9.2%, and imports from those countries by 9.4%. Goods to the value of 45.0 billion euros (+9.2%) were exported to the euro area countries in September 2021; the value of the goods imported from those countries was 36.4 billion euros (+11.9%).
In September 2021, goods to the value of 19.7 billion euros (+9.4%) were exported to EU countries not belonging to the euro area, while the value of the goods imported from those countries was 17.0 billion euros (+4.5%).
Trade with non EU countries
Exports of goods to countries outside the European Union (third countries) amounted to 53.2 billion euros in September 2021, while imports from those countries totalled 48.1 billion euros. Compared with September 2020, exports to third countries increased by 4.7% and imports from those countries by 17.1%.
Trade with the United Kingdom
Compared with the same month last year, exports to the United Kingdom were down by 10.0% to 5.7 billion euros in September 2021. German imports from the United Kingdom declined by 20.0% to 2.3 billion euros over the same period.
Trade with other selected countries
In September 2021, exports to the People's Republic of China declined by 0.2% to 8.5 billion euros compared with September 2020. Exports to the United States increased by 16.2% to 10.8 billion euros.
In September 2021, most imports to Germany came from the People's Republic of China. Goods to the value of 12.3 billion euros were imported from there (+24.2% on the same month a year earlier). Imports from the United States were up by 0.9% to 6.3 billion euros in September 2021. ■