In August 2021, exports and imports of goods recorded nominal year-on-year growth rates of +16.6% and +21.9%, respectively (+11.4% and +21.2%, in the same order, in July 2021). Compared to August 2019, the rates of change were +14.1% and +12.3%, in the same order.

Excluding Fuels and lubricants, exports and imports grew by 12.8% and 16.0% respectively (+8.3% and +15.0%, in the same order, in July 2021). Vis-à-vis August 2019, exports and imports increased by 11.5% and 7.6%, respectively. 

The deficit of trade balance in goods increased by EUR 479 million when compared with the same month of 2020 (it increased by EUR 131 million when compared with August 2019), amounting to EUR 1,754 million in August 2021. Excluding Fuels and lubricants, the trade deficit amounted to EUR 1,242 million.

In the quarter ended in August 2021, exports of goods increased by 16.2% and imports grew by 24.4% when compared with the same period of 2020 (+26.4% and +33.9%, in the same order, in the quarter ended in July 2021). When compared with the quarter ended in August 2019, exports and imports increased by 8.2% and by 3.2%, respectively.

In the accumulated period January to August 2021, compared with the same period of 2019, there was an increase of 4.1% in exports (+21.5% compared with the same period of 2020) and a decrease of 2.8% in imports (+18.1% compared with 2020), standing out the increases in Industrial supplies (+7.6%, +26.1% compared with 2020 in exports; +14.4%, +32.1% compared with 2020 in imports) and the decreases in Transport equipment (-9.8%, +20.6% vis-à-vis 2020 in exports; -32.5%, +8.6% compared with 2020 in imports).