Foreign Trade; Absolute Data

Trade according to goods categories

Imports of Machinery and transport equipment increased by 3.7% to €56.83 bn and showed the strongest plus in terms of value and the highest value for imports. The value of imports of Miscellaneous manufactured articles increased by 3.1% to €23.70 bn.

The highest increase for exports revealed Chemicals and related products (+8.4 to €21.57 bn), Machinery and transport equipment (+2.5% to €61.76 bn) and Food and live animals (+5.6% to €8.56 bn).

Trade with the EU-28

Overall, trade with the EU member states accounted for 70.1% of total imports (year 2018: 70.7%) and 69.7% of total exports (year 2018: 69.9%). In 2019 as a whole, imports of goods from the EU partner countries rose by 0.3% to €110.66 bn. Exports of goods to these countries increased by 1.9% to €106.94 bn. Compared with the previous year; the deficit in trade with the EU declined from €5.38 bn to €3.72 bn.

The most important EU-trading partners for imports were Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Netherlands. One half of these countries showed a plus for imports. Germany, Italy, France, Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland played an important role in Austrian exports to the EU Member States. With the exception of Germany, Italy and Czech Republic these countries recorded an increase for exports.

The largest growth with respect to imports and exports was recorded for Machinery and transport equipment (intra-EU-imports: +1.7% to €41.83 bn; intra-EU-exports: +2.7% to €40.46 bn). The value of imports of Food and live animals increased by 4.0% to €8.43 bn. Chemicals and related products showed the second-largest growth for exports (+7.0% to €14.11 bn).

Trade with non-EU countries

The value of imports from non-EU countries increased by 3.1% to €47.16 bn; exports grew by 3.2% to €46.56 bn. The balance of trade with non-EU countries showed a deficit of €0.60 bn. In the year 2019 an amount of 29.9% of all imports were registered with third countries while the share of exports was 30.3%.

China, the United States and Switzerland were the most important non-EU-trading partners on the import side and showed positive change rates compared with 2018 (except Switzerland). On the export side the three major non-EU countries are congruent: United States followed by Switzerland and China. The export values of these three third countries increased (exception: United States -3.4% to €10.24 bn).

The increase of import values of Machinery and transport equipment (+9.6% to €15.00 bn) and Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+7.9% to €9.46 bn) from non-EU countries contributed essentially to this development. The export-related increase was largely attributable to the two most important product groups Chemicals and related products (+11.3% to €7.46 bn) and Machinery and transport equipment (+2.2% to €21,31 bn).