Foreign trade

Istat presents data on Italy’s foreign trade as well as unit value and volume indices (base year 2010=100) referring to December 2014. The results of the flash estimates on extra-EU trade for December 2014 have been disseminated on January 23^rd.

Compared to the previous month, the percentage change of exports in December increased by +2.6% reflecting a growth in sales for both European (+2.1%) and non-European markets (+3.2%). The fall in imports (-1.6%) is due to the decrease in purchases by non-European countries (-3.7%). In the quarter (October-December 2014), exports’ increase (+2.1%) is mainly due to a rise in sales to EU countries (+2.4%). The fall in imports (-0.8%) is mainly due to a reduction of purchases of goods from non-EU countries (-0.9%).

In December 2014, compared with the same month of the previous year, exports increased by 6.3% and was due to a growth in sales for both EU (+7.3%) and non-EU markets (+5.2%). The fall of imports (-1.3%) is the synthesis of an increase of purchases by EU (+4.6%) and a decrease by non-EU countries (-8.7%). In December, trade balance amounted to +5,756 million euros: +506 million for EU countries and +5,249 million for non-EU countries. Net of energy products, the balance was +8,748 billion euros.

Date of next release: March 18^th 2015