The Eurostat reported that the eurozone closed 2025 with a €12.6 billion trade surplus in December, reflecting continued export strength despite softer performances in key industrial sectors.
According to preliminary data released Friday, the euro area recorded a €12.6bn surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in December 2025, compared with a €13.9bn surplus in December 2024. While the balance narrowed slightly year-on-year, it remained firmly in positive territory.
Exports reached €234 billion in December, marking a 3.4 per cent increase from €226.3bn a year earlier. Imports rose at a slightly faster pace of 4.2 per cent to €221.3bn, contributing to the modest narrowing of the monthly surplus.
Full-Year Surplus Above €160bn
Over the full year from January to December 2025, the eurozone posted a trade surplus of €164.6bn, only marginally lower than the €168.9bn recorded in 2024. The figures highlight the bloc’s sustained external strength amid shifting global demand patterns.
Annual exports climbed 2.4 per cent to €2,937.9bn, while imports rose 2.7 per cent to €2,773.3bn. Trade within the euro area also expanded, with intra-eurozone commerce reaching €2,627.6bn, up 2.0 per cent year-on-year.
Seasonally adjusted data indicated a slight improvement toward the end of the year. Compared with November 2025, exports increased by 1.1 per cent in December, while imports rose 0.6 per cent. The seasonally adjusted surplus stood at €11.6bn, up from €10.2bn the previous month.
Sector Shifts Shape December Outcome
The composition of the trade balance shifted notably in the final month of the year. Eurostat attributed the narrowing surplus largely to weaker results in some of the euro area’s traditional export-heavy industries.
The surplus in chemicals and related products declined from €20.2bn in December 2024 to €16.5bn in December 2025. Surpluses also decreased in machinery and vehicles, other manufactured goods, and raw materials.
In contrast, the energy sector showed improvement. The energy trade deficit narrowed significantly, falling from -€24.5bn in December 2024 to -€19.1bn in December 2025, partially offsetting weaker performances elsewhere.
Wider EU Also Maintains Surplus
Across the broader European Union, the pattern was similar. The EU recorded a €12.9bn trade surplus in December 2025, compared with €14.2bn in the same month a year earlier.
Extra-EU exports rose 2.2 per cent year-on-year to €214.8bn, while imports increased 3.0 per cent to €201.9bn. For the full year, the EU registered a €133.5bn surplus, slightly below the €140.6bn achieved in 2024.
Despite the moderate narrowing in December, the figures suggest that the eurozone maintained a stable external position throughout 2025. Export growth persisted into the final month of the year, underscoring the resilience of European trade even as sector-specific headwinds reshaped the balance.
