Brussels: In the last quarter of 2025, the EU recorded a trade surplus, with goods exported to non-EU countries exceeding imports by £28.4 billion. This continues the positive trade balance, established in the third quarter of 2023, after a period of deficits fuelled by soaring energy costs from late 2021 to mid-2023.
According to Emirates News Agency, the positive trade balance in the fourth quarter of 2025 was driven by surpluses in the trade of chemicals and related products (£49.3 billion), machinery and vehicles (£42.3 billion), food, drinks and tobacco (£10.8 billion), and other goods (£7.1 billion). In contrast, trade deficits were reported for energy (-£62.7 billion), other manufactured goods (-£11.0 billion), and raw materials (-£7.5 billion).
In the fourth quarter of 2025, imports decreased by 1.4% compared with the previous quarter, while exports fell by 0.8%. Both imports and exports registered decreases for three consecutive quarters.
