Eurozone trade swings into deficit as imports surge in September

13th Nov 2026 13:22

(Sharecast News) - The eurozone's trade balance swung sharply into deficit in September as imports grew significantly faster than exports, driven partly by a widening shortfall in energy trade, according to figures released by Eurostat on Friday.

The single currency area's trade deficit with the rest of the world reached €10.3bn, compared with a surplus of €13.5bn in September 2025, representing a deterioration of €23.8bn year-on-year.

However, the deficit narrowed from €16.6bn in August on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.

Exports rose 6% year-on-year to €272.7bn in September, while imports surged 16.1% to €283bn, highlighting the growing imbalance between goods flowing into and out of the eurozone.

Eurostat said the deterioration was largely driven by the energy sector, where the trade deficit widened to €33bn from €20.7bn a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the trade surplus in machinery and vehicles shrank to €3bn from €10bn, further weighing on the overall balance.

The latest figures also showed a significant deterioration in the eurozone's trade position over the first nine months of the year. Between January and September, the bloc recorded a cumulative trade deficit of €36.5bn, compared with a surplus of €102.2bn over the same period in 2025.

Exports increased 2.4% year-on-year to €2.26trn during the nine-month period, while imports climbed 9.2% to €2.30trn.