The eurozone recorded a €3.8 billion trade surplus in September, compared with a €0.5 billion euro deficit in the same month of last year, statistical agency Eurostat said today.
The August trade surplus was revised down to €5.1 billion from the figure of €5.4 billion given previously.
For the first nine months of this year, the 12-nation eurozone had a surplus of €23.3 billion compared to a €6.2 billion surplus in the same period a year ago, Eurostat said.
Exports grew by 9 per cent in the first nine months of the year, and imports were up 4 per cent, it said.
The 15-nation European Union (EU) recorded a trade deficit of €4.2 billion in September, down from a €9.1 billion deficit in the same month of last year.
For the first nine months of the year, the EU's deficit fell to €51.4 billion from €68.1 billion a year ago.
For the January-August period, Germany had the largest trade surplus of the EU, at €56.5 billion. Britain had the largest deficit - €46.6 billion.