Imports and exports

Updated: 7 Nov 2018
Next update: 7 Dec 2018
Description of indicator

Foreign Trade Statistics describes the commodity trade between Finland and other Member States of the European Union (EU) and between Finland and Third Countries i.e. the internal and external trade. Foreign Trade Statistics is the official information source on the importation, exportation, and balance of trade of Finland. Preliminary statistics on foreign trade of goods convey the first monthly data on the foreign trade of Finland. The preliminary statistics present the development of Finland's export, import, and balance of trade both in the aggregate and by the other EU Member States, Euro territory, and countries not in the EU.

The information on the trade carried on by Finland with the other EU Member States is collected from the compulsory statistical declarations provided monthly by importers and exporters through the Intrastat system of internal trade. The information on the trade between Finland and Third Countries is obtained from customs declarations, which have to be submitted on every import and export consignment. The data on both internal and external trade are put together to form the statistics on the foreign trade of Finland.

As a rule, all goods exported from and imported in Finland are recorded to statistics. The prerequisite for the inclusion in statistics is that the goods physically arrive in or depart from this country. By way of exception, water- and aircraft are recorded to statistics upon a change in the status of ownership. Among other things, neither transit transports nor economic measures of insignificant commercial value are included in the statistics. Also the smallest companies are released from the obligation to declare statistics on internal trade. Neither is foreign trade in services recorded to these statistics.

   

EXPORTS INCREASED BY TWO PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER

According to the preliminary statistics of international trade in goods provided by Finnish Customs, the value of Finnish exports increased by two per cent year-on-year, while the value of imports remained at the level of the previous year. The value of Finnish exports in September was slightly over 5.1 billion euros and the value of imports was slightly under 5.3 billion euros. Calculated from the beginning of the year, both exports and imports increased by six per cent year-on-year.

The trade balance showed a deficit of 160 million euros in September. Calculated from January to September, there was a deficit of 1.9 billion euros. Under the same period last year, the balance of trade showed a deficit of almost two billion euros. Last year the trade balance for September showed a deficit of 260 million euros.

Exports to EU member states remained at the level of the previous year, while exports to non-EU countries increased by five per cent in September. Imports from EU countries decreased by nine per cent while imports from non-EU countries rose by 16 per cent in September. Calculated from the beginning of the year, exports to EU countries rose by five per cent and to non-EU countries by eight per cent year-on-year. During the same period, imports from EU member states rose by four per cent and from other countries by nine per cent.