Press release No.139 / 2009-04-08

German exports in February 2009: –23.1% on February 2008

WIESBADEN – According to provisional data of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), Germany exported commodities to the value of EUR 64.8 billion and imported commodities to the value of EUR 56.2 billion in February 2009. German exports of February 2009 were thus 23.1% and imports 16.4% below the respective February 2008 levels. Upon calendar and seasonal adjustment, exports decreased by 0.7% and imports by 4.2% on January 2009.

The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 8.7 billion in February 2009. In February 2008, the surplus amounted to EUR 17.1 billion. Upon calendar and seasonal adjustment, the foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of EUR 8.9 billion in February 2009.

According to provisional results of the Deutsche Bundesbank, the current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of EUR 5.6 billion in February 2009, which included the balance of services (EUR –0.4 billion), factor income (net) (EUR +3.7 billion), current transfers (EUR –5.3 billion) and supplementary trade items (EUR –1.0 billion). In February 2008, the German current account showed a surplus of EUR 16.5 billion.

In February 2009, Germany dispatched commodities to the value of EUR 41.0 billion to the Member States of the European Union (EU), while it received commodities to the value of EUR 37.1 billion from those countries. Compared with February 2008, dispatches to and arrivals from the EU countries decreased by 24.4% and 14.8%, respectively. Commodities to the value of EUR 28.6 billion (–22.5%) were dispatched to the euro area countries in February 2009, while the value of commodities received from those countries was EUR 27.0 billion (–13.1%). Commodities to the value of EUR 12.4 billion (–28.6%) were dispatched to EU countries not belonging to the euro area in February 2009, while the value of the commodities which arrived from those countries was EUR 10.1 billion (–19.1%).

Exports of commodities to countries outside the European Union (third countries) amounted to EUR 23.8 billion in February 2009, while imports from those countries amounted to EUR 19.1 billion. Compared with February 2008, exports to third countries decreased by 20.6%, and imports from those countries by 19.2%.

Flows of commodities and services in EUR billion
Item	February		January	February	January to February
Item	2009			2008
Discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding.
1 Exports (f.o.b.)	64.8	129.4	64.5	84.3	168.3
2 Imports (c.i.f.)	56.2	113.7	57.6	67.2	133.9
Balance of
3 Foreign trade (1-2)	+8.7	+15.6	+7.0	+17.1	+34.4
4 Services	–0.4	–3.2	–2.8	+0.4	–0.5
5 Factor income (net)	+3.7	+7.1	+3.5	+5.4	+9.5
6 Current transfers	–5.3	–9.5	–4.3	–5.1	–8.9
7 Supplementary trade items	–1.0	–2.1	–1.1	–1.4	–2.4
8 Current account (3+4+5+6+7)	+5.6	+7.9	+2.3	+16.5	+32.1

Groups of countries
Item	February 2009	January to February 2009	Percentage change from
	February 2009	January to February 2009	February 2008	January to February 2008
	EUR billion		%
Total exports	64.8	129.4	–23.1	–23.1
Including:
EU Member States	41.0	83.0	–24.4	–23.4
Euro-zone	28.6	57.6	–22.5	–21.7
Non-euro-zone	12.4	25.4	–28.6	–26.9
Third countries	23.8	46.4	–20.6	–22.7
Total imports	56.2	113.7	–16.4	–15.1
Including:
EU Member States	37.1	73.4	–14.8	–14.8
Euro-zone	27.0	53.3	–13.1	–13.0
Non-euro-zone	10.1	20.1	–19.1	–19.2
Third countries	19.1	40.4	–19.2	–15.5

Foreign trade (special trade)
Exports and imports
Original values/calendar and seasonally adjusted values¹⁾
Year	Month	Exports				Imports
		original value		calendar and seasonally adjusted value ¹⁾		original value		calendar and seasonally adjusted value ¹⁾
		value in EUR billion	change on the same month of the previous year in %	value in EUR billion	change on previous month in %	value in EUR billion	change on the same month of the previous year in %	value in EUR billion	change on previous month in %
¹⁾ Using Census X-12-ARIMA.
2008	January	84.0	+9.0	84.5	+3.1	66.7	+9.6	68.2	+3.8
	February	84.3	+9.0	84.5	+0.1	67.2	+6.1	67.9	–0.5
	March	83.5	+0.0	84.2	–0.4	66.8	+2.1	68.2	+0.4
	April	89.5	+14.1	84.6	+0.5	70.5	+10.8	67.9	–0.4
	May	80.5	+2.4	82.7	–2.2	66.0	+7.0	67.6	–0.4
	June	88.1	+8.1	85.4	+3.3	68.0	+4.5	67.4	–0.2
	July	86.8	+7.0	84.2	–1.4	72.8	+15.0	72.0	+6.8
	August	75.5	–2.5	84.0	–0.3	64.7	+2.3	70.1	–2.7
	September	87.0	+6.8	84.7	+0.8	71.8	+13.5	70.8	+1.0
	October	89.4	+1.1	84.2	–0.6	72.8	+4.5	68.2	–3.7
	November	76.8	–12.2	75.1	–10.8	66.9	–1.6	64.2	–5.8
	December	67.2	–7.9	72.1	–4.0	60.0	–4.1	61.1	–4.8
2009	January	64.5	–23.2	66.8	–7.4	57.6	–13.7	60.0	–1.8
2009	February	64.8	–23.1	66.4	–0.7	56.2	–16.4	57.5	–4.2

>>> Brief methodological description

For further information please call:
Dirk Mohr,
tel: (+49-611) 75-2475,

E-mail: info-aussenhandel@destatis.de

For more details please refer to the German version.

Contact:
tel: (+49-611)75-3444
fax: (+49-611)75-3976
presse@destatis.de
www.destatis.de

Service hours:
Mon - Tue: 8am - 5pm
Fri: 8am - 3pm
CET / CEST

Postal address:
65180 Wiesbaden
Germany

Maximize content (Accesskey 3)