Baltic exports continue to climb

RIGA - Latvia’s exports in the first seven months this year increased 26 percent from the same period last year, which is the second biggest increase in the European Union, the EU statistical office Eurostat announced.
Bulgaria was first with a 29 percent increase in exports. Lithuania and Romania each registered 25 percent rise in exports, whereas Estonia and Sweden - 24 percent each.

A decrease in exports was only registered in Luxembourg - 5 percent.
Latvia’s imports increased 13 percent in the first seven months, compared to the same period in 2009, which was the fifth smallest increase among the EU member states.
Sweden recorded a 30 percent hike in imports, Lithuania’s imports grew 27 percent, whereas imports in the Czech Republic and Netherlands’ increased 22 percent in each.

Four member states’ imports decreased - 1 percent in Luxembourg, 2 percent in Malta, 4 percent in Ireland and 10 percent in Greece.
Estonia registered a 20 percent increase in imports.
Latvia’s foreign trade deficit in the first seven months decreased to 0.7 billion euros, down from 1 billion euros a year ago.
Germany has the EU’s largest foreign trade surplus, 87.7 billion euros, whereas Great Britain has the EU’s largest deficit - 63.6 billion euros.