Press Exports in October 2021: +4.1% on September 2021

Exports are 3.8% above the pre-crisis level of February 2020

Press release No. 558 of 9 December 2021

Exports, October 2021
121.3 billion euros
+4.1% on the previous month (calendar and seasonally adjusted)
+8.1% on the same month a year earlier

Imports, October 2021
108.5 billion euros
+5.0% on the previous month (calendar and seasonally adjusted)
+17.3% on the same month a year earlier

Foreign trade balance, October 2021:
12.8 billion euros
12.5 billion euros (calendar and seasonally adjusted)

Current account according to calculations of the Deutsche Bundesbank, October 2021
15.4 billion euros

WIESBADEN – In October 2021, German exports were up by 4.1% and imports by 5.0% on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis compared with September 2021. Based on provisional data, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that, after calendar and seasonal adjustment, exports were 3.8% and imports 13.5% higher than in February 2020, the month before restrictions were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany.

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In October 2021, exports of goods amounted to 121.3 billion euros and imports of goods to 108.5 billion euros. Compared with October 2020, exports increased by 8.1% and imports by 17.3% in October 2021.

The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 12.8 billion euros in October 2021. In October 2020, the surplus amounted to 19.7 billion euros. The calendar and seasonally adjusted surplus in October 2021 was 12.5 billion euros.

The current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of 15.4 billion euros in October 2021, which takes into account the balances of trade in goods (+13.5 billion euros), services (-2.4 billion euros), primary income (+9.9 billion euros) and secondary income (-5.6 billion euros). In October 2020, the current account showed a surplus of 24.4 billion euros.

Trade with EU countries

In October 2021, Germany exported goods to the value of 66.7 billion euros to the Member States of the European Union (EU), while it imported goods to the value of 57.6 billion euros from those countries. Compared with October 2020, exports to the EU countries increased by 11.6%, and imports from those countries by 14.6%. Goods to the value of 46.4 billion euros (+12.8%) were exported to the euro area countries in October 2021; the value of the goods imported from those countries was 39.9 billion euros (+18.8%). In October 2021, goods to the value of 20.3 billion euros (+9.0%) were exported to EU countries not belonging to the euro area, while the value of the goods imported from those countries was 17.7 billion euros (+6.0%).

Trade with non-EU countries

Exports of goods to countries outside the European Union (third countries) amounted to 54.6 billion euros in October 2021, while imports from those countries totalled 51.0 billion euros. Compared with October 2020, exports to third countries increased by 4.1% and imports from those countries by 20.4%.

Trade with the United Kingdom

Compared with the same month last year, exports to the United Kingdom were down by 11.5% to 5.7 billion euros in October 2021. German imports from the United Kingdom declined by 2.9% to 2.9 billion euros over the same period.

On 1 January 2021 the partnership agreement negotiated between the EU and the United Kingdom took provisional effect. Now that the United Kingdom has left the EU single market and the customs union, the withdrawal process is complete. More information on the Brexit and selected statistical indicators that are assumed to be affected by the Brexit are provided by the Brexit Monitor of the Federal Statistical Office.

Trade with other selected countries

In October 2021, exports to the People's Republic of China rose by 8.5% to 9.4 billion euros compared with October 2020. Exports to the United States increased by 11.4% to 11.0 billion euros.

Most imports to Germany came from the People's Republic of China in October 2021. The value of the goods imported from there was 13.3 billion euros (+28.6% on the same month a year earlier). Imports from the United States were up by 4.0% to 6.0 billion euros in October 2021.

Methodological note:

The differing comparative periods must be taken into account in all press releases on short-term indicators. Short-term economic monitoring focuses on comparisons with the previous month or previous quarter. These reflect short-term economic trends. A comparison with the previous year is intended to offer a long-term comparison of levels and is not subject to seasonal fluctuations. Due to temporarily strong decreases and increases during the current coronavirus crisis, the results of month-on-month/quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year comparisons may differ considerably. To enable a direct comparison with the pre-crisis level, all press releases on short-term indicators available in seasonally adjusted form will, for the time being, include a comparison with February 2020 or the fourth quarter of 2019.

Flows of commodities and services
in EUR bn
ItemOctoberJanuary
to
October
SeptemberOctoberJanuary
to
October
20212020
1 According to calculations of the Deutsche Bundesbank.
Foreign trade
1   Exports (f.o.b.)121.31,132.2117.9112.2993.6
2   Imports (c.i.f.)108.5977.4101.992.5845.1
3  Foreign trade balance (1-2)12.8154.816.019.6148.5
Transition to trade in goods 1
4  Supplementary trade items0.76.50.51.18.5
Current account balances 1
5  Trade in goods (3+4)13.5161.216.520.7157.0
6  Services-2.4-2.9-2.30.8-1.7
7  Primary income9.981.410.67.269.3
8  Secondary income-5.6-47.9-4.9-4.4-38.1
Current account (5+6+7+8)15.4191.820.024.4186.5
Groups of countries
ItemOctober
2021
January
to
October
2021
Percentage change from
October
2020
January
to
October
2020
billion euro%
Total exports121.31,132.28.113.9
including:
EU Member States66.7615.711.617.4
Euro-zone46.4427.612.817.2
Non-euro-zone20.3188.19.017.8
Third countries54.6516.54.110.1
including:
United Kingdom5.754.3-11.5-1.6
Total imports108.5977.417.315.7
including:
EU Member States57.6521.614.616.1
Euro-zone39.9357.418.816.7
Non-euro-zone17.7164.16.014.9
Third countries51.0455.920.415.1
including:
United Kingdom2.926.5-2.9-7.7
Foreign trade (special trade)
Exports and imports
Original values/calendar and seasonally adjusted values 1 
YearMonthExportsImports
original valuecalendar and seasonally
adjusted value 1
original valuecalendar and seasonally
adjusted value 1
value in
billion euros
change on the same
month of the
previous year
in %
value in
billion euros
change on
previous month
in %
value in
billion euros
change on the same
month of the
previous year
in %
value in
billion euros
change on
previous month
in %
1 Using J-DEMETRA+ (X-13 ARIMA).
2020January106.6-2.1111.20.493.0-1.393.01.2
February109.10.3112.61.388.9-2.492.0-1.1
March109.3-7.699.3-11.892.1-3.986.2-6.4
April75.9-31.075.8-23.772.3-21.672.1-16.3
May80.6-29.582.58.873.3-21.674.53.3
June96.0-9.694.514.580.7-9.979.87.0
July102.8-10.699.04.883.1-11.381.21.8
August91.2-10.2101.92.979.3-6.886.76.7
September109.9-3.7104.72.889.9-3.387.81.3
October112.2-6.3105.00.392.5-6.087.3-0.6
November112.1-1.0107.12.095.30.691.24.4
December101.23.2107.60.586.13.891.50.3

2021

January98.4-7.7109.31.684.2-9.487.6-4.2
February107.8-1.3110.20.889.91.192.75.8
March127.116.3112.01.7106.315.497.55.1
April111.947.4111.9-0.196.633.796.4-1.1
May109.535.9112.20.397.232.698.82.5
June118.723.7113.51.1102.727.499.70.9
July115.112.0114.10.597.317.097.1-2.6
August104.514.5113.1-0.892.817.099.12.0
September117.97.2112.4-0.7101.913.399.50.4
October121.38.1117.04.1108.517.3104.55.0

First detailed provisional results by country of origin/country of destination and by chapter of the Commodity Classification for Foreign Trade Statistics are available for downloading.

Crisis Monitor enables comparison between coronavirus crisis and financial and economic crisis

Foreign trade statistics also form part of the Crisis Monitor (www.destatis.de/krisenmonitor), by means of which the Federal Statistical Office compares the development of major short-term indicators in the coronavirus crisis and the financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009.

The Crisis Monitor complements the Corona statistics webpage (www.destatis.de/corona), which provides statistical information on the economic and social consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

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