Handelstekort EU-landen met Japan omlaag naar 1,9 miljard in eerste helft 2013 (en)
STAT/13/170
18 November 2013
EU - Japan Summit
EU28 trade in goods deficit with Japan decreased to 1.9 bn euro in the first half of 2013
Over the last decade, EU281 international trade in goods with Japan is characterised by a regular fall in the share of Japan in the EU28's total trade in goods, more significant for imports than for exports, and a continuous deficit. The share of exports to Japan in the EU28 total fell from 4.9% in 2002 to 3.3% in 2012 and the share of imports from Japan also dropped, from 7.9% to 3.6%. As a result, the EU28 trade deficit with Japan decreased from 30.3 bn euro in 2002 to 9.0 bn in 2012.
In the first six months of 2013, EU28 exports to Japan fell slightly compared with the same period of 2012 from 27.0 bn euro to 26.3 bn, while imports decreased more strongly, from 33.8 bn to 28.2 bn. Consequently, the EU28 trade deficit with Japan continued to drop, from 6.8 bn in the first half of 2012 to 1.9 bn in the same period of 2013. Japan was the EU28's 7th most important trading partner, accounting for around 3.2% of EU28 trade in goods.
On the occasion of the 21th European Union - Japan summit, which will take place on 19 November 2013 in Tokyo in Japan, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, issues data on trade and investments between the EU and Japan.
Germany: main EU trading partner of Japan
Among the EU28 Member States, Germany (8.0 bn euro or 31% of EU exports) was by far the largest exporter to Japan in the first six months of 2013, followed by France (3.4 bn or 13%), Italy (3.0 bn or 11%) and the United Kingdom (2.6 bn or 10%). Germany (7.3 bn or 26% of EU imports) was also the largest importer, followed by the Netherlands2 (5.1 bn or 18%) and the United Kingdom (4.2 bn or 15%). The largest trade deficits with Japan in the first half of 2013 were recorded by the Netherlands2 (-3.5 bn) and the United Kingdom (-1.6 bn), and the largest surpluses by Italy (+1.6 bn) and France (+1.0 bn).
EU28 international trade in goods with Japan
billion euro
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Japan
Exports
43.5
41.0
43.5
43.7
44.8
43.7
42.4
36.0
44.0
49.1
55.6
Imports
73.8
72.6
74.9
74.4
78.4
79.3
76.5
58.4
67.4
69.7
64.5
Balance
-30.3
-31.6
-31.5
-30.6
-33.7
-35.5
-34.1
-22.5
-23.5
-20.6
-9.0
Total extra-EU28
Exports
885.3
861.9
945.2
1 049.5
1 152.4
1 234.3
1 309.1
1 094.0
1 353.2
1 554.2
1 680.3
Imports
937.0
935.3
1 027.4
1 183.9
1 364.6
1 446.8
1 585.2
1 235.6
1 532.1
1 727.1
1 794.0
Balance
-51.7
-73.4
-82.2
-134.4
-212.2
-212.5
-276.1
-141.7
-178.9
-172.9
-113.7
Japan / Total
Exports
4.9%
4.8%
4.6%
4.2%
3.9%
3.5%
3.2%
3.3%
3.3%
3.2%
3.3%
Imports
7.9%
7.8%
7.3%
6.3%
5.7%
5.5%
4.8%
4.7%
4.4%
4.0%
3.6%
EU28 Member States’ international trade in goods with Japan
million euro
Exports
Imports
Balance
Jan-Jun 2012
Jan-Jun 2013
Jan-Jun 2012
Jan-Jun 2013
Jan-Jun 2012
Jan-Jun 2013
EU28
26 967
26 326
33 759
28 177
-6 791
-1 852
Belgium2
1 905
1 822
3 702
3 023
-1 797
-1 201
Bulgaria
11
14
34
31
-23
-18
Czech Republic
270
284
631
526
-361
-243
Denmark
786
698
167
140
620
558
Germany
8 311
8 062
8 467
7 330
-156
732
Estonia
34
35
26
12
8
23
Ireland
965
855
281
306
685
549
Greece
27
25
70
61
-43
-37
Spain
1 039
1 031
1 251
927
-212
104
France
3 653
3 423
2 833
2 413
820
1 010
Croatia
49
35
74
78
-26
-43
Italy
2 650
3 002
1 897
1 357
753
1 645
Cyprus
0
0
20
13
-19
-13
Latvia
18
22
8
5
9
17
Lithuania
12
17
12
14
-0
2
Luxembourg
31
26
73
86
-42
-60
Hungary
228
197
470
434
-242
-237
Malta
19
32
18
25
1
7
Netherlands2
1 618
1 625
6 001
5 074
-4 383
-3 449
Austria
588
594
487
376
101
218
Poland
197
256
489
463
-291
-208
Portugal
103
70
183
125
-80
-54
Romania
121
112
138
112
-17
0
Slovenia
18
23
26
49
-8
-25
Slovakia
42
74
212
142
-169
-68
Finland
526
504
171
159
354
345
Sweden
1 015
860
918
696
97
164
United Kingdom
2 733
2 628
5 100
4 200
-2 367
-1 572
Total extra-EU28
826 026
870 568
895 974
840 544
-69 947
30 024
Japan / Total
3.3%
3.0%
3.8%
3.4%
0 = less than 0.5 million
EU28 international trade in goods with Japan by product
million euro
Exports
Imports
Balance
Jan-Jun 2012
Jan-Jun 2013
Jan-Jun 2012
Jan-Jun 2013
Jan-Jun 2012
Jan-Jun 2013
Total
26 967
26 326
33 759
28 177
-6 791
-1 852
Primary goods:
3 379
3 341
704
547
2 675
2 794
Food & drink
2 347
2 261
82
74
2 266
2 187
Raw materials
816
921
505
422
311
499
Energy
216
159
118
51
98
108
Manufactured goods:
23 067
22 381
32 215
27 153
-9 148
-4 772
Chemicals
7 107
6 872
3 461
3 157
3 646
3 715
Machinery & vehicles3
9 331
9 206
21 868
18 162
-12 537
-8 956
Other manuf’d articles3
6 629
6 302
6 886
5 834
-257
469
Other
521
603
840
477
-319
126
EU27 surplus in trade in services with Japan almost doubled between 2010 and 2012
In 2012, the EU271 exported 24.2 bn euro of services to Japan, while imports from Japan amounted to 15.6 bn, meaning that the EU27 had a surplus of 8.6 bn in trade in services with Japan, compared with a surplus of 5.9 bn in 2011 and 4.6 bn in 2010. The surplus in 2012 was mainly due to computer & information services (+2.6 bn), financial services (+2.1 bn) and travel (+1.5 bn). Japan accounted for just over 3% of total extra-EU27 trade in services.
EU27 international trade in services with Japan
million euro
Export
Import
Balance
2010
2011
2012
2010
2011
2012
2010
2011
2012
Total
19 842
21 802
24 173
15 252
15 909
15 592
4 590
5 892
8 581
of which:
Transportation
5 246
5 449
5 279
5 254
4 727
4 724
-8
722
555
Travel
2 092
2 176
2 538
905
725
1 010
1 188
1 451
1 528
Other services
12 492
14 172
16 344
8 985
10 333
9 802
3 507
3 839
6 542
of which:
Communications services
202
211
542
143
146
180
58
65
362
Construction services
116
125
97
257
167
150
-141
-42
-53
Insurance services
987
307
538
214
229
209
773
78
329
Financial services
2 854
3 205
2 921
917
1 417
794
1 936
1 788
2 127
Computer and information services
1 771
2 215
2 845
239
229
247
1 532
1 987
2 598
Royalties and license fees
2 207
2 252
2 276
2 519
2 956
2 463
-311
-705
-187
Other business services4
3 946
5 520
6 717
4 549
5 084
5 657
-603
436
1 060
Personal, cultural and recreational services
338
297
376
43
46
45
294
251
331
Government services n.i.e.
73
40
32
104
59
57
-31
-19
-25
Total extra-EU27
566 558
603 941
657 387
463 563
482 902
510 641
102 995
121 040
146 746
Japan / total extra-EU27
3.5%
3.6%
3.7%
3.3%
3.3%
3.1%
Significant volatility in direct investments flows between the EU27 and Japan
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows between the EU271 and Japan show large variations. In 2012, the EU27 invested 0.4 bn euro in Japan, down from 3.1 bn in 2011. Japanese investment in the EU27 also fell in 2012, to 3.4 bn compared with 10.4 bn in 2011.
EU27 FDI flows with Japan
(million euro)
2009
2010
2011
2012
EU27 FDI in Japan
1 332
-1 952
3 081
434
Japanese FDI in the EU27
2 647
-845
10 405
3 374
-
-Up to 30 June 2013, the European Union (EU27) included 27 Member States. From 1 July 2013 the European Union (EU28) also includes Croatia. Data for international trade in goods are available for all 28 Member States, while data for international trade in services and foreign direct investment are only available for 27 Member States.
-
-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 Japan 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 Japan. To a lesser extent, Belgian trade figures are similarly over-estimated.
-
-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.
-
-Other business services comprise merchanting and other trade-related services, operational leasing services and miscellaneous business, professional and technical services.
Published by:
Eurostat Press Office
Julia URHAUSEN
Tel: +352-4301-33 444
eurostat-pressoffice@ec.europa.eu
Eurostat News Releases on the Internet:
For further information on trade in goods data:
Gilberto GAMBINI
Tel: +352-4301-35 806
For further information on trade in services data:
Digna AMIL
Tel: +352-4301-32 321
For further information on FDI data:
Radoslav ISTATKOV
Tel: +352-4301-30 101