EU trade surplus with external world drops 60% in February

BRUSSELS, 17th April, 2026 (WAM) — The European Union’s trade surplus with the rest of the world contracted by 60% this past February. This follows a sharp decline in exports to the United States by more than a quarter, as 15% US tariffs remained in effect on most European goods.

Data released by Eurostat on Friday showed that total EU exports fell by 9.3% in February compared to the same period last year, while imports decreased by 3.5%.

The United States saw the largest drop in its imports from the EU, with European exports there falling by 26.4% year-on-year. Conversely, EU imports from the US decreased by 3.2%. EU exports to China also saw a decline.

Eurostat noted that European exporters had ramped up shipments to the US market a year ago in anticipation of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. This drove export figures higher in early 2025 and may explain the sharp decline recorded this February.

In February 2025, EU exports to the US had risen by 22.4% compared to the previous year.

On 20 February, the US Supreme Court struck down the broad tariffs Trump had imposed under a law reserved for national emergencies. However, days later, the US introduced new provisional duties on global imports and intends to restructure tariffs to mimic arrangements agreed with the EU last year.