Last year Estonia’s trade decreased
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2013, exports of goods decreased by 2% and imports by 1% at current prices, compared to 2012. In 2013, exports and imports decreased after three years of successive growth.
In 2013, exports from Estonia amounted to 12.3 billion euros and imports to Estonia to 13.7 billion euros at current prices. The trade deficit was 1.4 billion euros (in 2012, 1.3 billion euros). The largest trade surplus was recorded in trade with Sweden and Russia and the largest trade deficit occurred in trade with Germany and Lithuania.
In 2013, the main countries of destination were Sweden (17% of Estonia’s total exports), Finland (16%) and Russia (11%). Electrical equipment and wood and products thereof were mainly exported to Sweden, electrical equipment and furniture to Finland, and mechanical equipment and agricultural products and food preparations to Russia. The largest decrease was recorded in exports to the USA and Russia (down by 39% and 7%, respectively), while exports to Latvia increased by 16% and to Finland by 8%.
The main countries of consignment were Finland (15% of Estonia’s total imports), Germany (11%) and Sweden (10%). Mineral products (incl. fuels) and electrical equipment were the main commodities imported from Finland, mechanical and transport equipment from Germany and electrical and transport equipment from Sweden. The most significant decrease occurred in imports from Russia and the Netherlands (down by 22% and 16%, respectively). Imports from Poland increased by 24% and from Finland by 4%.
The most important commodity group in exports was electrical equipment (20% of Estonia’s total exports), followed by mineral products (incl. motor spirits, shale oil and electricity) (11%), and agricultural products and food preparations (10%).
The decrease in Estonia’s exports in 2013 compared to 2012 was mostly caused by the decrease in the exports of mineral products and metals and products thereof (down by 31% and 14%, respectively).
In 2013, the biggest share of Estonia’s imports was held by electrical equipment (18% of Estonia’s total imports), followed by mineral products (13%), and agricultural products and food preparations (11%). Imports of mineral products decreased the most (by 19%). At the same time, the imports of transport equipment (incl. vehicles and railway rolling stock) and agricultural products and food preparations increased (by 12% and 9%, respectively).
In December 2013, the value of exports of goods was 0.9 billion euros and the value of imports was 1 billion euros. Compared to December 2012, exports remained at the same level, but imports decreased by 9%.
In 2013 compared to 2012, export prices fell by 1.1% and import prices by 1.6%. The last annual decrease of export and import prices was recorded in year 2009.| Month | Exports, million euros | Imports, million euros | Balance, million euros | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2013 | change, % | 2012 | 2013 | change, % | 2012 | 2013 | |
| Total | 12 517,9 | 12 268,5 | -2 | 13 847,6 | 13 668,9 | -1 | -1 329,7 | -1 400,4 |
| January | 946,7 | 1 128,6 | 19 | 985,3 | 1 149,4 | 17 | -38,6 | -20,8 |
| February | 980,6 | 960,8 | -2 | 1 093,5 | 1 077,5 | -1 | -112,9 | -116,7 |
| March | 1 071,8 | 1 005,9 | -6 | 1 203,4 | 1 127,1 | -6 | -131,6 | -121,2 |
| April | 1 020,7 | 1 081,2 | 6 | 1 129,0 | 1 211,7 | 7 | -108,3 | -130,5 |
| May | 1 038,0 | 1 114,3 | 7 | 1 161,9 | 1 194,1 | 3 | -123,8 | -79,7 |
| June | 1 024,5 | 974,8 | -5 | 1 152,9 | 1 160,1 | 1 | -128,3 | -185,3 |
| July | 1 047,5 | 939,6 | -10 | 1 164,3 | 1 139,1 | -2 | -116,8 | -199,6 |
| August | 1 125,4 | 998,8 | -11 | 1 236,2 | 1 092,9 | -12 | -110,8 | -94,1 |
| September | 1 121,9 | 1 030,3 | -8 | 1 157,6 | 1 137,6 | -2 | -35,8 | -107,2 |
| October | 1 101,2 | 1 093,4 | -1 | 1 311,0 | 1 225,5 | -7 | -209,8 | -132,1 |
| November | 1 156,0 | 1 056,6 | -9 | 1 146,3 | 1 146,7 | 0 | 9,7 | -90,1 |
| December | 883,6 | 884,3 | 0 | 1 106,3 | 1 007,4 | -9 | -222,7 | -123,1 |
| Country of destination, group of countries | Exports, million euros | Share, % | Change compared to previous year, % | Country of consignment, group of countries | Imports, million euros | Share, % | Change compared to previous year, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 12 268,5 | 100 | -2 | Total | 13 668,9 | 100 | -1 |
| EU-28 | 8 706,4 | 71 | 5 | EU-28 | 11 398,4 | 83 | 3 |
| EA17 | 3 739,1 | 30 | 5 | EA17 | 5 189,3 | 38 | 1 |
| CIS | 1 641,6 | 13 | -10 | CIS | 981,4 | 7 | -33 |
| 1. Sweden | 2 062,6 | 17 | 3 | 1. Finland | 2 056,8 | 15 | 4 |
| 2. Finland | 1 973,4 | 16 | 8 | 2. Germany | 1 437,0 | 11 | 1 |
| 3. Russia | 1 404,1 | 11 | -7 | 3. Sweden | 1 386,1 | 10 | -1 |
| 4. Latvia | 1 270,4 | 10 | 16 | 4. Latvia | 1 305,9 | 10 | 3 |
| 5. Lithuania | 717,4 | 6 | 8 | 5. Lithuania | 1 219,9 | 9 | 3 |
| 6. Germany | 557,1 | 5 | -1 | 6. Poland | 1 087,6 | 8 | 24 |
| 7. Norway | 447,8 | 4 | 7 | 7. Russia | 787,1 | 6 | -22 |
| 8. USA | 358,3 | 3 | -39 | 8. United Kingdom | 570,1 | 4 | 7 |
| 9. United Kingdom | 294,6 | 2 | 12 | 9. China | 458,9 | 3 | -5 |
| 10. Denmark | 282,9 | 2 | -5 | 10. Netherlands | 444,3 | 3 | -16 |
| Commodity section (chapter) by Combined Nomenclature (CN) | Exports | Imports | Balance, million euros | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| million euros | share, % | change compared to previous year, % | million euros | share, % | change compared to previous year, % | ||
| TOTAL | 12 268,5 | 100 | -2 | 13 668,9 | 100 | -1 | -1 400,4 |
| Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV) | 1 244,1 | 10 | 5 | 1 504,0 | 11 | 9 | -260,0 |
| Mineral products (V) | 1 289,0 | 11 | -31 | 1 733,3 | 13 | -19 | -444,3 |
| Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI) | 703,2 | 6 | 9 | 1 066,5 | 8 | -6 | -363,2 |
| Articles of plastics and rubber (VII) | 394,9 | 3 | 3 | 695,0 | 5 | 4 | -300,0 |
| Wood and products thereof (IX) | 1 054,5 | 9 | 14 | 365,8 | 3 | 12 | 688,7 |
| Paper and articles thereof (X) | 310,1 | 3 | -2 | 254,3 | 2 | 6 | 55,8 |
| Textiles and products thereof (XI) | 424,3 | 3 | 17 | 594,1 | 4 | 5 | -169,8 |
| Metals and products thereof (XV) | 884,2 | 7 | -14 | 1 022,0 | 7 | -5 | -137,8 |
| Mechanical appliances (84) | 960,6 | 8 | -11 | 1 399,0 | 10 | -1 | -438,4 |
| Electrical equipment (85) | 2 492,7 | 20 | 0 | 2 395,8 | 18 | -5 | 96,9 |
| Transport equipment (XVII) | 809,4 | 7 | 34 | 1 437,1 | 11 | 12 | -627,7 |
| Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX) | 870,1 | 7 | 5 | 309,7 | 2 | 9 | 560,4 |
| Other | 831,5 | 6 | 6 | 892,6 | 6 | 9 | -61,1 |