Foreign trade and import prices

In May 2021 seasonally-adjusted data, compared to April 2021, decreased by -2.0% for outgoing flows and by -0.3% for incoming flows. Exports dropped for non EU countries (-4.0%) while remain stationary for EU countries. Imports increased by +0.6% for EU countries and decreased by -1.5% for EU countries.

Over the last three months, seasonally-adjusted data, compared to the previous three months, increased by +6.1% for exports and by +9.4% for imports.

In May 2021, compared with the same month of the previous year, both exports and imports grew (+41.9% and +51.2% respectively). Outgoing flows increased by +40.0% for EU countries and by +44.0% for non EU countries. Incoming flows rose by +48.5% for EU area and by +55.1% for non EU area. The trade balance in May 2021 amounted to +5,642 million Euros (+859 million Euros for EU countries and +4,783 million Euros for non EU countries).

In May 2021, import prices increased by 1.3% on monthly basis (+1.0% for the euro zone, +1.5% for the non-euro zone). Over the last three months, compared to the previous three months, import prices increased by 4.0% (+3.1% for the euro zone, +4.7% for the non-euro zone).

Import prices, compared to the same month a year ago, increased by 9.0% in May 2021 (+6.0% for the euro zone and +12.0% for the non-euro zone).