Imports and exports

Updated: 7 Nov 2019
Next update: 10 Dec 2019
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.

   

The value of exports rose by 1.3 per cent in September

According to the preliminary statistics of international trade in goods provided by Finnish Customs, the value of Finnish exports of goods was nearly EUR 5.3 billion in September. The value of exports was 1.3 per cent higher than in September last year. The value of imports rose by 2.6 per cent in September to just under EUR 5.5 billion. In January-September, the total value of exports increased by 2.6 per cent, while the value of total imports decreased by 0.4 per cent from last year.

In September, the balance of trade showed a deficit of EUR 210 million. In January-September, the trade deficit amounted to EUR 770 million. In September last year, the trade deficit was EUR 138 million and in January-September it was EUR 2.2 billion.

Exports to the EU increased by one per cent in September and imports from the EU by 8.7 per cent. At the same time, exports to non-EU countries increased by 1.9 per cent, while imports from non-EU countries fell by 5.7 per cent. In January-September, exports to EU member states grew by 1.4 per cent and exports to non-EU countries by 4.5 per cent. Over the same period, imports from EU countries increased by 1.4 per cent, while imports from non-EU countries decreased by 3.1 per cent.