Provisional data for registered international trade recorded a trade deficit of €294.3 million during January 2020, compared to a deficit of €191.9 million in the corresponding month of 2019. Imports registered an increase of €92.5 million, while exports decreased by €9.9 million. The increase in the value of imports was primarily due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (€71.9 million) and machinery and transport equipment (€49.5 million), partly outweighed by decreases of €14.8 million in chemicals and €6.6 million in semi-manufactured goods. On the exports side, food (€28.6 million) accounted for the main decrease, partly outweighed by increases of €8.8 million and €8.7 million in machinery and transport equipment and miscellaneous manufactured articles respectively.

Imports from the European Union reached €256.9 million, or 45.3 per cent of total imports. There was a decrease of €4.8 million in imports from euro area countries when compared to January 2019. Main increases and decreases in imports were registered from China (€94.7 million) and Italy (€14.9 million) respectively. With respect to exports, the main increase was directed to Germany (€21.7 million), whereas Japan (€25.3 million) registered the highest decrease.