EU international trade in good surplus of €4.3bn

The Euro area trade in goods balance with the rest of the world in October 2013 gave a EUR 17.2 billion surplus, compared with a surplus of EUR 9.6 billion in October 2012, EU statistical office reported on Monday. The EU trade in goods balance with the rest of the world in October 2013 was a EUR 4.3 billion surplus, compared with a deficit of EUR 10.2 billion in October 2012, noted the report. The EU deficit for energy decreased to EUR 287.1 billion in January-September 2013 compared with a deficit of EUR 315.3 billion in January-September 2012, while the surplus for manufactured goods increased to EUR 286.6 billion compared with EUR 254.2 billion for the same period. EU imports from most of its major partners fell in January-September 2013 compared with January-September 2012. The most notable decreases were recorded for imports from Japan, -15 percent, Brazil, -14 percent, Switzerland, -12 percent, and Norway, -11 percent. The pattern was mixed for EU exports, with the largest increases registered for exports to Switzerland, +32 percent, and Turkey, +5 percent.