SOFIA: In the period January – October 2015 Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 9.0% compared to the corresponding period of 2014 and amounted to BGN 24.4 billion. Main trade partners of Bulgaria were Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece, France and Belgium which accounted for 69.2% of the exports to the EU Member States, Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (NSI) announced.
In October 2015 the exports to the EU grew by 7.5% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to BGN 2.697 billion.
Bulgarian imports from the EU in the period January – October 2015 increased by 5.7% compared to the same period of 2014 and added up to BGN 27.3 billion at CIF prices. The largest amounts were reported for the goods imported from Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and Greece.
In October 2015 the Bulgarian imports from the EU Member States grew by 4.5% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to BGN 3.082 billion at CIF prices.
The foreign trade balance of Bulgaria (export FOB – import CIF) with the EU in the period January – October 2015 was negative and added up to BGN 2,892.7 million. At FOB/FOB prices (after elimination of transport and insurance costs on imports) the trade balance was also negative and amounted to BGN 1,056.3 million.
In the ten months of 2015 compared to the same period of 2014 the largest growth in the exports of Bulgaria to the EU distributed according to the Standard International Trade Classification was recorded in the sections ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (22.4%) and ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (20.4%). Fall was recorded in section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (1.5%).
In imports from the EU the largest growth was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (24.7%), while the most notable fall was observed in section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (23.2%).