This Statistics Explained article has been archived - for recent articles on International trade in goods see here.
Data extracted in February 2022
Planned article update March 2023
Highlights
Imports, exports and trade balance between the EU and Brazil, 2011-2021
This article provides a picture of the international trade in goods between the European Union (EU) and Brazil. It analyses the type of goods exchanged between the two economies and the shares of each EU Member State in those exchanges.
This article is part of an online publication providing recent statistics on international trade in goods, covering information on the EU's main partners, main goods traded, specific characteristics of trade as well as background information.
Recent developments
The COVID-19 crisis caused both exports and imports between the EU and Brazil to fall in 2020, as shown in Figure 1. Imports reached a minimum of € 1.8 billion in June 2020. By December 2021 they had recovered to € 2.9 billion. Exports reached a minimum of € 1.8 billion in April 2020. By December 2021 they had recovered to € 2.8 billion.
(€ billion, seasonally and working-day adjusted)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc)
Figure 2 compares EU trade with Brazil to EU trade with other non-EU countries. Between January 2020 and December 2021, EU imports from Brazil increased by 34.4 % while imports from other non-EU countries increased by 25.4 %. EU exports to Brazil increased by 0.2 % while exports to other non-EU countries increased by 5.0 %.
(Jan 2019 = 100 %, seasonally and working-day adjusted)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc)
EU and Brazil in world trade in goods
Figure 3a shows the position of Brazil among the largest traders of goods in the world in 2020. The four largest exporters were China (€ 2 268 billion, 18.0 %), the EU (€ 1 933 billion, 15.4 %), the United States (€ 1 253 billion, 10.0 %) and Japan (€ 561 billion, 4.5 %). The four largest importers were the United States (€ 2 108 billion, 16.4 %), China (€ 1 801 billion, 14.0 %), the EU (€ 1 717 billion, 13.4 %) and Japan (€ 556 billion, 4.3 %). Figure 3b has some more details. It shows that Brazil (€ 184 billion, 1.5 %) was the 20th largest exporter in the world between Thailand (€ 203 billion, 1.6 %) and Saudi Arabia (€ 152 billion, 1.2 %). Brazil (€ 146 billion, 1.1 %) was the 21st largest importer in the world between Malaysia (€ 166 billion, 1.3 %) and Indonesia (€ 124 billion, 1.0 %).
(% share of world exports/imports)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_introeu27_2020) and UNCTAD
(€ billion)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_introeu27_2020) and UNCTAD
The imports and exports of goods of the EU and Brazil indexed at 100 in 2010 for the period to 2020 are shown in Figure 4. It also shows the cover ratio (exports / imports) for this period. Exports from the EU were lowest in 2010 (100) and highest in 2019 (149) and were 135 in 2020. Imports to the EU were lowest in 2010 (100) and highest in 2019 (132) and were 117 in 2020. The cover ratio for the EU was lowest in 2011 (97 %) and highest in 2016 (116 %) and was 113 % in 2020. Exports from Brazil were lowest in 2016 (92) and highest in 2011 (127) and were 104 in 2020. Imports to Brazil were lowest in 2016 (75) and highest in 2013 (131) and were 87 in 2020. The cover ratio for Brazil was lowest in 2014 (94 %) and highest in 2017 (138 %) and was 126 % in 2020.
(exports and imports indexed at 100 in 2010, cover ratio in %)
Source: Eurostat (ext_lt_introeu27_2020) and UNCTAD
Exports to Brazil increased but imports decreased between 2011 and 2021
The position of Brazil among the largest trade partners of the EU in 2021 can be seen in Figure 5a. The four largest export partners of the EU were the United States (18.3 %), the United Kingdom (13.0 %), China (10.2 %) and Switzerland (7.2 %). The four largest import partners of the EU were China (22.4 %), the United States (11.0 %), Russia (7.5 %) and the United Kingdom (6.9 %). Figure 5b has some more details. It shows that Brazil (€ 34 billion, 1.6 %) was the 13th largest export partner of the EU, between Canada (€ 37 billion, 1.7 %) and Australia (€ 33 billion, 1.5 %). In imports Brazil (€ 33 billion, 1.6 %) was the 13th largest partner of the EU, between Taiwan (€ 36 billion, 1.7 %) and Malaysia (€ 29 billion, 1.4 %).
(% share of extra-EU exports/imports)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
(€ billion)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
Figure 6 shows the exports, imports and trade balance between the EU and Brazil from 2011 to 2021. In 2011, the EU had a trade deficit with Brazil of € 3 billion. This changed to a surplus in 2012 and remained so until 2021 when it was almost € 1 billion. Exports to Brazil increased but imports decreased between 2011 and 2021. EU exports to Brazil were highest in 2013 (€ 37 billion) and lowest in 2020 (€ 28 billion). EU imports from Brazil were highest in 2011 (€ 36 billion) and lowest in 2020 (€ 25 billion).
(€ billion)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
EU-Brazil trade by type of goods
The breakdown of EU trade with Brazil by SITC groups is shown in Figure 7. The red shades denote the primary goods: food & drink, raw materials and energy, while the blue shades show the manufactured goods: chemicals, machinery & vehicles and other manufactured goods. Finally, other goods are shown in green. In 2021, EU exports of manufactured goods (85 %) had a higher share than primary goods (10 %). The most exported manufactured goods were machinery & vehicles (39 %), followed by chemicals (29 %) and other manufactured goods (18 %). In 2021, EU imports of primary goods (77 %) had a higher share than manufactured goods (20 %). The most imported primary goods were raw materials (38 %), followed by food & drink (28 %) and energy (11 %).
(€ billion)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
Figure 8 shows the evolution of EU imports and exports by SITC group since 2011. In 2021, the EU had trade surpluses in machinery & vehicles (€ 11 billion), chemicals (€ 8 billion), other manufactured goods (€ 3 billion) and other goods (€ 1 billion). The EU had trade deficits in energy (€ 3 billion), food & drink (€ 8 billion) and raw materials (€ 12 billion).
(€ billion)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
EU-Brazil most traded goods
More detail about the goods exchanged between the EU and Brazil is given in Figure 9, showing the 20 most traded goods at SITC-3 level. These top 20 goods covered 69 % of total trade in goods in 2021. Six belonged to machinery and vehicles, five to chemicals, four to raw materials, three to other manufactured goods and two to energy. The most traded group of goods at this level was oil seeds and oleaginous fruits. Another interesting way to look at the data is to investigate the cover ratio (exports / imports) of traded goods, showing the direction of the trade flows between the two economies. These ratios can be found in the right-hand margin of Figure 9. Ten products were below 50 %, indicating EU imports from Brazil were more than twice as large as EU exports to Brazil. Eight products were above 200 %, indicating EU exports to Brazil were more than twice as large as EU imports from Brazil. Two products were between 50 % and 200 %, showing more balanced trade.
Trade with Brazil by Member State
Table 1a shows the imports of goods from Brazil by Member State. The three largest importers from Brazil in the EU were the Netherlands (€ 7 293 million), Germany (€ 5 321 million) and Spain (€ 4 565 million). Portugal (11.7 %) had the highest share for Brazil in its extra-EU imports.
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
Table 1b shows the exports of goods to Brazil by Member State. The three largest exporters to Brazil in the EU were Germany (€ 10 510 million), Italy (€ 4 580 million) and Belgium (€ 3 735 million). Portugal (3.9 %) had the highest share for Brazil in its extra-EU exports.
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
The trade in goods balance between the EU Member States and Brazil is shown in Table 1c. It shows that 16 Member States had a trade surplus with Brazil. The largest surplus was held by Germany (€ 5 189 million), followed by Belgium (€ 1 388 million) and France (€ 936 million). There were eleven Member States that had a trade deficit with Brazil. The largest deficit was held by the Netherlands (€ 4 224 million), followed by Spain (€ 1 972 million) and Portugal (€ 1 838 million).
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu27_2020sitc) and Comext DS-018995
Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources
EU data is taken from Eurostat's COMEXT database. COMEXT is the reference database for international trade in goods. It provides access not only to both recent and historical data from the EU Member States but also to statistics of a significant number of third countries. International trade aggregated and detailed statistics disseminated via the Eurostat website are compiled from COMEXT data according to a monthly process.
Data are collected by the competent national authorities of the Member States and compiled according to a harmonised methodology established by EU regulations before transmission to Eurostat. For extra-EU trade, the statistical information is mainly provided by the traders on the basis of customs declarations.
EU data are compiled according to Community guidelines and may, therefore, differ from national data published by the Member States. Statistics on extra-EU trade are calculated as the sum of trade of each of the 27 EU Member States with countries outside the EU. In other words, the EU is considered as a single trading entity and trade flows are measured into and out of the area, but not within it.
The United Kingdom is considered as an extra-EU partner country for the EU-27 for the whole period covered by this article. However, the United Kingdom was still part of the internal market until the end of the transitory period (31 December 2020), meaning that data on trade with the United Kingdom are still based on statistical concepts applicable to trade between the EU Member States. Consequently, while imports from any other extra-EU-27 trade partner are grouped by country of origin, the United Kingdom data reflect the country of consignment. In practice this means that the goods imported by the EU-27 from the United Kingdom were physically transported from the United Kingdom but part of these goods could have been of other origin than the United Kingdom. For this reason, data on trade with the United Kingdom are not fully comparable with data on trade with other extra-EU-27 trade partners.
Data for the non EU-27 countries used in figures 1-3 are taken from the UNCTAD database of the United Nations. For the calculation of shares, the world trade is defined as the sum of EU trade with non-EU countries (source: Eurostat) plus the international trade of non-EU countries (source: UNCTAD). Methodology According to the EU concepts and definitions, extra-EU trade statistics (trade between EU Member States and non-EU countries) do not record exchanges involving goods in transit, placed in a customs warehouse or given temporary admission (for trade fairs, temporary exhibitions, tests, etc.). This is known as ‘special trade'. The partner is the country of final destination of the goods for exports and the country of origin for imports.
Product classification Information on commodities exported and imported is presented according to the Standard international trade classification (SITC). A full description is available from Eurostat's classification server RAMON.
Unit of measure Trade values are expressed in millions or billions (109) of euros. They correspond to the statistical value, i.e. to the amount which would be invoiced in case of sale or purchase at the national border of the reporting country. It is called a FOB value (free on board) for exports and a CIF value (cost, insurance, freight) for imports.
Context
Trade is an important indicator of Europe’s prosperity and place in the world. The bloc is deeply integrated into global markets both for the products it sources and the exports it sells. The EU trade policy is one of the main pillars of the EU’s relations with the rest of the world.
Because the 27 EU Member States share a single market and a single external border, they also have a single trade policy. EU Member States speak and negotiate collectively, both in the World Trade Organization, where the rules of international trade are agreed and enforced, and with individual trading partners. This common policy enables them to speak with one voice in trade negotiations, maximising their impact in such negotiations. This is even more important in a globalised world in which economies tend to cluster together in regional groups.
The openness of the EU’s trade regime has meant that the EU is the biggest player on the global trading scene and remains a good region to do business with. Thanks to the ease of modern transport and communications, it is now easier to produce, buy and sell goods around the world which gives European companies of every size the potential to trade outside Europe.
Explore further
Other articles
Database
- International trade in goods (ext_go), see:
- International trade in goods - aggregated data (ext_go_agg)
- International trade in goods - long-term indicators (ext_go_lti)
- International trade in goods - short-term indicators (ext_go_sti)
- International trade in goods - detailed data (detail)
- EU trade since 1988 by SITC (DS-018995)
Thematic section
Selected datasets
- International trade in goods (t_ext_go), see:
- International trade in goods - long-term indicators (t_ext_go_lti)
- International trade in goods - short-term indicators (t_ext_go_sti)
Methodology
- International trade in goods statistics - background
- International trade in goods (ESMS metadata file — ext_go_agg_esms)
- User guide on European statistics on international trade in goods