Handel met China in waarde verdrievoudigd (en)

Between 2000 and 2009, EU27 trade in goods with China tripled in value. EU27 exports to China rose steadily from 26 billion euro in 2000 to 82 bn in 2009, while imports rose from 75 bn in 2000 to a peak of 248 bn in 2008 and then fell to 215 bn in 2009. As a result, the EU27 trade deficit with China increased significantly, from 49 bn in 2000 to 170 bn in 2008 and then dropped to 133 bn in 2009. The data for the first half of 2010 show a strong growth in EU27 trade with China. EU27 exports to China increased from 37 bn in the first half of 2009 to 53 bn in the first half of 2010 and imports rose from 103 bn to 125 bn. The trade deficit grew from 65 bn to 71 bn.

In the first half of 2010, China was the EU27's second most important trading partner after the USA, accounting for 8.5% of EU27 exports and 17.8% of EU27 imports.

On the occasion of the 13th European Union - China summit, which will take place on 6 October in Brussels, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, issues data on trade and investments between China and the EU.

Germany, almost half of EU27 exports to China and nearly a quarter of EU27 imports

Among the EU27 Member States, Germany (25 bn euro or 47% of EU exports) was by far the largest exporter to China in the first half of 2010, followed by France (5 bn or 10%) and Italy (4 bn or 8%). Germany (29 bn or 23% of EU imports) was also the largest importer, followed by the Netherlands2 (21 bn or 17%), the United Kingdom

(17 bn or 13%) and Italy (12 bn or 10%).

All Member States registered deficits in trade with China in the first half of 2010, except for Ireland and Finland (both +0.1 bn). The largest deficits were observed in the Netherlands2 (-19 bn euro), the United Kingdom

(-13 bn), Italy (-8 bn), Spain (-6 bn) and France (-5 bn).

More than 60% of EU27 exports to China in the first half of 2010 were machinery and vehicles3 and one sixth were other manufactured articles3, while these two groups accounted for more than 90% of imports. At the detailed level, the main EU27 exports to China included motor cars and aircraft, while the main imports included computers and parts and mobile phones.

EU27 Member States' trade in goods with China

million euro

EU27 trade in goods with China by product

million euro

EU27 trade in goods with China

million euro

EU27 surplus of 5.3 bn in trade in services with China in 2009

In 2009, the EU27 exported 18.5 bn euro of services to China, while imports from China amounted to 13.2 bn, meaning that the EU27 had a surplus of 5.3 bn in trade in services with China, compared with +2.6 bn in 2007 and +5.1 bn in 2008. The surplus in 2009 was mainly due to other business services4 (+2.6 bn) and royalties & license fees (+1.6 bn). China accounted for over 3% of total extra-EU27 trade in services.

EU27 trade in services with China

million euro

EU27 net investor in China

EU27 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into China was 5.3 bn in 2009, compared with 6.7 bn in 2006, 6.6 bn in 2007 and 4.7 bn in 2008, while Chinese direct investment into the EU27 stood at 0.3 bn in 2009, compared with 2.2 bn in 2006, 0.8 bn in 2007 and a disinvestment of 0.1 bn in 2008.

EU27 FDI flows with China

(million euro)

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  Provisional data
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  All data for China presented in this release exclude Hong Kong.
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  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 China 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 China. To a lesser extent, Belgian trade figures are similarly over-estimated.
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  Machinery and vehicles includes power generating and industrial machinery, computers, electric and electronic parts and equipment, road vehicles and parts, ships, airplanes and railway equipment.

Other manufactured articles include leather, rubber, wood, paper, textiles, metals, building fixtures and fittings, furniture, clothes, shoes and accessories, scientific instruments, clocks, watches and cameras.

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  Other business services comprise merchanting and other trade-related services, operational leasing services and miscellaneous business, professional and technical services.