The energy deficit decreased (-102.5 bn euro in January-May 2007 compared with -118.9 bn in January-May 2006), while the surpluses rose in the chemicals sector (+31.3 bn compared with +30.1 bn) and for machinery and vehicles (+44.8 bn compared with +34.7 bn).
EU27 trade with most of its major partners grew. The biggest increases were for exports to Russia (+30% in January-May 2007 compared with January-May 2006), India (+17%), China (+14%), South Korea (+12%), Brazil (+11%) and Norway (+10%), and for imports from China (+21%), Brazil (+17%), Turkey and India (both +14%).
The EU27 trade surplus decreased with the USA (+30.7 bn euro in January-May 2007 compared with +35.8 bn in January-May 2006) and remained nearly stable with Switzerland (+5.9 bn compared with +6.1 bn). The EU27 trade deficit grew with China (-61.1 bn compared with -49.3 bn) and Japan (-14.8 bn compared with -14.0 bn), but decreased with Russia (-23.6 bn compared with -34.8 bn), Norway (-13.5 bn compared with -18.6 bn) and South Korea (-6.0 bn compared to -7.0 bn).
Concerning the total trade of Member States, the largest surplus was observed in Germany (+80.6 bn euro in January-May 2007), followed by the Netherlands (+16.2 bn), Ireland (+12.7 bn), Sweden (+7.0 bn) and Belgium (+6.0 bn). The United Kingdom (-53.9 bn) registered the largest deficit, followed by Spain (-36.9 bn), France
(-16.1 bn), Greece (-15.8 bn), Romania (-7.9 bn) and Italy (-7.7 bn).
