In October 2021, exports and imports of goods recorded nominal year-on-year growth rates of +3.0% and +17.5%, respectively (+9.9% and +17.9%, in the same order, in September 2021). Compared to October 2019, the rates of change were +0.7% in exports and +4.4% in imports.

Excluding Fuels and lubricants, exports and imports grew by 1.0% and 9.6%, respectively (+7.4% and +10.5%, in the same order, in September 2021). Vis-à-vis October 2019, exports decreased by 0.4% and imports increased by 0.4%. 

The deficit of trade balance in goods increased by EUR 971 million when compared with the same month of 2020 (increased by EUR 286 million when compared with October 2019), amounting to EUR 1,985 million in October 2021. Excluding Fuels and lubricants, the trade deficit amounted to EUR 1,242 million (i.e., increasing by EUR 525 million compared to 2020 and EUR 45 million vis-à-vis 2019).

In the quarter ended in October 2021, exports of goods increased by 9.0% and imports grew by 18.8% when compared with the same period of 2020 (+12.2% and +20.4%, in the same order, in the 3rd quarter of 2021). When compared with the quarter ended in October 2019, exports and imports increased by 7.6% and 7.9%, respectively.

In the accumulated period January to October 2021, compared to the same period in 2019, exports increased by 4.3% (+17.9% compared to the same period in 2020) and imports decreased by 0.8% (+18.1% vis-à-vis 2020).

Concerning price changes, the year-on-year increase in the 3rd quarter of 2021 of the unit value indices of exports and imports by 10.8% and 12.5%, respectively (+5.9% and +7.1% in the previous quarter), are noteworthy. Excluding petroleum products, the unit value indices increased by 8.4% in exports and by 8.0% in imports (+4.1% and +3.3% in the 2nd quarter, in the same order).