The euro area's trade surplus in goods with the rest of the world narrowed to €9.9 billion in April 2025, down from €13.6 billion in April 2024, according to Eurostat's latest figures. This development, while moderate year-on-year, follows a steep drop from €37.3 billion in March 2025, largely due to a halving of the chemicals sector surplus—from €42.8 billion to €22.1 billion.
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April's euro area exports stood at €243.0 billion, a decrease of 1.4% year-on-year. Imports edged up by 0.1% to €233.1 billion, contributing to the tightening surplus. The downturn is especially notable in the "Machineries & Vehicles" category, a crucial sector for the interior design and furniture manufacturing industry, where the surplus dropped from €16.8 billion to €12.8 billion.
In the broader EU context, the April surplus also fell, from €12.8 billion in April 2024 to €7.4 billion this year. The chemicals sector once again led the contraction, with its surplus falling from €41.6 billion in March to €20.4 billion. Exports across the EU dropped by 1.9% to €218.2 billion, while imports rose by 0.5% to €210.7 billion.
Nevertheless, the January to April 2025 period paints a more resilient picture. The euro area posted a cumulative surplus of €71 billion (up from €68.6 billion year-on-year), while the EU as a whole recorded €58.9 billion (down slightly from €63.7 billion). Extra-EU exports rose 6.4% and imports by 7.5%. Intra-EU trade also grew, rising 0.9% to €1,379.5 billion.
Among key trading partners, the EU's surplus with the United States rose to €17.7 billion. Meanwhile, the trade deficit with China widened significantly, from €21.6 billion to €28.1 billion, reflecting a 15.9% drop in exports and an 8.4% rise in imports.
For the B2B interior design and furniture sector, the continued volatility in machinery exports and the cooling chemicals surplus signal caution. However, modest gains in overall trade volumes suggest stability may return over the medium term.
With exports and imports closely matched in many product categories, businesses in interiors and contract furnishing must remain agile amid shifting global demand and sector-specific slowdowns.
More information:
Eurostat
www.ec.europa.eu