Intra-EU goods exports by member state 2023

Shares of intra-EU trade, that is, the trade of goods between European Union member states, have remained relatively stable over the period since 2002, with a few notable trends.

Leaders of the pack: Germany and the Netherlands

Germany has consistently been the biggest exporter of goods to other member states, with the Netherlands being consistently the second largest exporter after 2005. This is consistent with Germany's status as the EU's export powerhouse, with the country also being the largest exporter to the rest of the world. The Netherlands on the other hand is predominantly an intra-EU exporter, taking a smaller share of extra-EU exports.

A declining exporter: France

France, which was the second largest exporter from 2002 to 2005, has seen its share of the EU export trade decline to less than eight percent over the period, ranking as the fifth biggest exporter in 2021. France's economy, while still the second largest in the EU, has been troubled by issues of unemployment, relatively slow GDP growth, and uneven development over the past two decades.

Europe's new export powers: Poland and Czechia

At the beginning of this period, Poland and Czechia were struggling post-communist states, looking to join the EU in 2004. Since their EU accession, however, these two Central & Eastern European countries have seen a remarkable turn-around in their economic fortunes. Benefitting in particular from the trend of Western European countries 'near-shoring' their production eastwards, in order to benefit from their skilled workforces with relatively low wage levels, the first two decades of the twenty-first century have seen Czechia's share of intra-EU exports double, while Poland's has almost tripled.

Annual share of goods exports within the European Union, by member state from 2002 to 2023

Characteristic	Germany	Netherlands	Belgium	France	Italy	Poland	Spain	Czechia	Austria	Hungary	Sweden	Ireland	Slovakia	Denmark	Romania	Portugal	Slovenia	Finland	Bulgaria	Greece	Lithuania	Croatia	Estonia	Latvia	Luxembourg	Cyprus	Malta
2023	21.2%	14.6%	8.5%	8%	7.8%	6.4%	6%	4.7%	3.5%	2.8%	2.4%	2%	2%	1.8%	1.6%	1.3%	1%	1%	0.7%	0.7%	0.6%	0.4%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0%	0%
2022	20.7%	15.4%	9.5%	7.8%	7.8%	6.1%	5.9%	4.4%	3.3%	2.7%	2.4%	1.9%	1.9%	1.6%	1.6%	1.3%	1%	1.1%	0.7%	0.7%	0.6%	0.4%	0.4%	0.4%	0.3%	0%	0%
2021	21.8%	14.3%	9.1%	7.8%	8%	6.3%	5.8%	4.5%	3.4%	2.7%	2.5%	1.8%	2.1%	1.6%	1.6%	1.3%	1%	1.1%	0.7%	0.6%	0.6%	0.4%	0.4%	0.3%	0.3%	0%	0%
2020	22.3%	13.6%	8.4%	8%	7.9%	6.2%	5.8%	4.7%	3.6%	2.9%	2.5%	2.2%	2.1%	1.7%	1.6%	1.3%	0.9%	1.1%	0.6%	0.6%	0.6%	0.4%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0%	0%
2019	22.7%	13.5%	8.5%	8.5%	8%	5.7%	5.8%	4.6%	3.5%	2.8%	2.4%	1.8%	2.1%	1.7%	1.6%	1.4%	0.9%	1.2%	0.6%	0.6%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%	0%	0.1%
2018	23.1%	13.5%	8.6%	8.6%	7.9%	5.5%	5.8%	4.5%	3.6%	2.7%	2.5%	1.8%	2.1%	1.7%	1.6%	1.3%	0.9%	1.2%	0.6%	0.5%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%	0%	0%
2017	23.4%	13.5%	8.6%	8.7%	8%	5.4%	5.9%	4.5%	3.6%	2.8%	2.5%	1.6%	2.1%	1.7%	1.6%	1.3%	0.9%	1.2%	0.6%	0.5%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%	0%	0%
2016	23.6%	13.1%	8.7%	9%	8%	5.1%	5.9%	4.4%	3.5%	2.7%	2.5%	1.7%	2.1%	1.8%	1.5%	1.3%	0.8%	1.1%	0.6%	0.5%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%	0%	0%
2015	23.5%	13.3%	8.8%	9.2%	7.9%	5.1%	5.7%	4.3%	3.6%	2.7%	2.5%	1.7%	2.1%	1.8%	1.5%	1.3%	0.8%	1.1%	0.6%	0.5%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.5%	0%	0%
2014	23.2%	13.8%	9%	9.4%	8%	4.8%	5.6%	4.1%	3.6%	2.6%	2.6%	1.5%	2.1%	1.9%	1.4%	1.3%	0.8%	1.2%	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.5%	0%	0%
2013	22.9%	14.2%	9.3%	9.6%	8%	4.4%	5.6%	3.9%	3.7%	2.5%	2.7%	1.5%	2.1%	1.9%	1.4%	1.3%	0.8%	1.2%	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%	0.2%	0.4%	0.3%	0.5%	0%	0%
2012	23%	14.5%	9.2%	9.7%	8.1%	4.2%	5.5%	3.9%	3.7%	2.5%	2.8%	1.7%	2.1%	1.9%	1.3%	1.2%	0.8%	1.2%	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%	0.2%	0.3%	0.3%	0.5%	0%	0%
2011	23.6%	14%	9.3%	9.8%	8.2%	4.1%	5.5%	3.9%	3.6%	2.5%	2.8%	1.6%	2%	1.9%	1.3%	1.2%	0.8%	1.2%	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%	0.2%	0.3%	0.2%	0.5%	0%	0%
2010	23.8%	14%	9.4%	9.9%	8.2%	4.1%	5.5%	3.7%	3.7%	2.4%	2.8%	1.7%	1.9%	1.9%	1.2%	1.2%	0.8%	1.2%	0.4%	0.5%	0.4%	0.2%	0.3%	0.2%	0.5%	0%	0%
2009	24.1%	13.3%	9.8%	10.3%	8.3%	3.8%	5.5%	3.5%	3.7%	2.4%	2.6%	2%	1.8%	2.1%	1.1%	1.2%	0.7%	1.2%	0.4%	0.5%	0.4%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.6%	0%	0%
2008	24.3%	13.2%	9.7%	10.2%	8.7%	3.6%	5.2%	3.5%	3.8%	2.4%	2.9%	1.6%	1.7%	2.1%	1%	1.2%	0.7%	1.4%	0.4%	0.5%	0.4%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.6%	0%	0%
2007	25%	12.4%	9.7%	10.5%	9.1%	3.4%	5.2%	3.2%	3.8%	2.4%	3%	1.8%	1.6%	2.1%	0.9%	1.2%	0.7%	1.5%	0.4%	0.5%	0.3%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.6%	0%	0%
2006	24.5%	12.6%	9.8%	11.1%	9.1%	3.2%	5.3%	3%	3.7%	2.2%	3.1%	1.9%	1.4%	2.3%	0.8%	1.2%	0.7%	1.5%	0.3%	0.5%	0.3%	0.3%	0.2%	0.2%	0.7%	0%	0%
2005	24.4%	12.7%	10.1%	11.3%	9.1%	2.9%	5.4%	2.8%	3.8%	2.1%	3%	2.2%	1.2%	2.3%	0.8%	1.2%	0.6%	1.4%	0.3%	0.5%	0.3%	0.2%	0.3%	0.2%	0.7%	0%	0%
2004	24.5%	11.9%	10%	12.2%	9.3%	2.7%	5.7%	2.7%	4%	2.1%	3%	2.2%	1.1%	2.3%	0.8%	1.2%	0.6%	1.5%	0.3%	0.5%	0.3%	0.2%	0.2%	0.1%	0.6%	0%	0%
2003	24.3%	11.9%	9.9%	12.8%	9.6%	2.4%	5.9%	2.3%	4%	2%	3%	2.3%	1.1%	2.3%	0.7%	1.3%	0.5%	1.6%	0.3%	0.5%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.1%	0.6%	0%	0%
2002	24.1%	12%	10%	13%	9.8%	2.2%	5.8%	2.2%	4%	2%	2.9%	2.6%	0.9%	2.4%	0.7%	1.3%	0.5%	1.6%	0.2%	0.5%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.1%	0.6%	0%	0.1%