On the occasion of the fourth European Union - Brazil summit, which will take place on 14 July in Brasilia, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, issues data on trade and investments between Brazil and the EU.
Germany, one third of EU27 exports to Brazil and one fifth of imports
Among the EU27 Member States, Germany (7.2 bn euro or 33% of EU exports of goods) was by far the largest exporter to Brazil in 2009, followed by Italy (2.7 bn or 12%), France (2.6 bn or 12%) and the United Kingdom (1.9 bn or 9%). The Netherlands1 (5.6 bn or 22% of EU imports) was the largest importer, followed by Germany (5.0 bn or 20%), the United Kingdom (2.9 bn or 11%), France (2.5 bn or 10%), Italy (2.4 bn or 9%) and Spain (2.2 bn or 9%).
Germany (+2.1 bn euro) recorded the largest surplus in trade with Brazil in 2009, followed by Austria (+0.5 bn). The largest deficits were observed in the Netherlands1 (-4.4 bn euro), the United Kingdom and Spain (both -0.9 bn).
Around 90% of EU27 exports to Brazil in 2009 were manufactured goods, while food & drink and raw materials2 each accounted for more than 30% of imports. At the detailed level, the main EU27 exports to Brazil were motor vehicles & parts, medicine and aircraft & parts, while the main imports were soya beans, oilcake, iron ore, coffee and crude oil.
1. Dutch imports and therefore the trade deficit are over-estimated because of the “Rotterdam effect” where goods destined for the rest of the EU arrive and are recorded in harmonised EU external trade statistics in Dutch ports. This then has a positive effect on the external trade balances with Brazil of those Member States to which the goods are re-exported as these shipments would be recorded as intra-EU trade with the Netherlands rather than extra-EU trade with Brazil. To a lesser extent Belgian trade figures are similarly over-estimated.
2. Raw materials includes animal skins and furs, oil-seeds, rubber, wood, wood pulp, textile fibres, minerals, metal ores and animal oils and fats.
