Euro zone external trade surplus rises

The figures for trade between the euro zone and the rest of the world show a €10.7 billion surplus, against one of €4

The figures for trade between the euro zone and the rest of the world show a €10.7 billion surplus, against one of €4.7 billion in June 2001, according to Eurostat figures released this morning.

Revised figures for May 2002 show a balance of €8.6 billion, compared with €2 billion in May 2001. Euro zone trade recorded a surplus of €42 billion for the first six months of 2002, against €4.3 billion in 2001.

The first estimate for June 2002 extra-EU 15 trade was a €2.3 billion euro surplus, compared with a €4.7 billion deficit in June 2001.

In May 2002, there was a revised surplus of €2.4 billion, against a €5.4 billion deficit in May 2001.

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The EU 15 recorded a deficit estimated at €6.2 billion in the first six months of 2002 compared with a €43.9 billion deficit in 2001.

Total trade of member states individually, show the largest surplus was observed in Germany (+€50.9 billion), followed by Ireland (+€15.6 billion). Britain registered the largest deficit (-€26.1 billion) followed by Spain (€13.0 billion).