Exports of goods from European Union to the rest of the world amounted to €160.9 billion in May 2018, a drop of 2.7 percent compared to May 2017, when it was €165.4 billion, while imports from the world into EU were some €160.7 billion, down 1.4 percent from €163 billion in May 2017, showed the preliminary estimates published by Eurostat on Monday.

As a result, EU in May 2018 posted a goods trade surplus of some €0.2 billion, compared to €2.3 billion surplus in May last year.

Trade inside the EU28 amounted to €294.7 billion in May 2018, a 1.6 percent increase compared to May last year, when it was €290.1 billion.

In January to May 2018, compared to the same period last year, EU goods exports rose by 1.5 percent, to €786.7 billion. Imports recorded a similar surplus, of 1.6 percent compared to May 2017, rising to €795.7 billion.

As a result, the trade deficit between EU and the rest of the world in January-May 2018 rose to €9.1 billion compared to the €8.1 billion deficit in the same period last year.

Trade inside the EU28 rose by 4.6 percent in the first five months of 2018 on the year, to €1.4 trillion, the data showed.

Goods export from the euro zone to the rest of the world slipped in May 2018 by 0.8 percent on the year, to €189.6 billion from €191.2 billion in May last year. On the other hand imports from the world into the EU19 rose by 0.7 percent, to €173.1 billion, compared to €171.9 billion in May 2017.

As a result, the euro zone recorded a €16.5 billion surplus in extra EU19 trade, some 2.8 billion less than in May last year.

The value of goods trade within the euro zone rose by 0.5 percent, to €162.3 billion from €161.5 billion in May 2017.

In January to May 2018, the euro zone exports amounted to €927.6 billion, a 2.8 percent increase compared to the same months last year. Imports rose also by 2.8 percent, to €847.6 billion.

As a result, the euro zone recorded a €80 billion surplus in the first five months of 2018, 2 billion more compared to the same period last year.

Trade inside the euro zone rose by 4.8 percent in January to May 2018, to €808 billion, compared to January-May 2017.

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