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
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Eurostat. (April 16, 2024). Annual share of goods exports within the European Union, by member state from 2002 to 2023 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372938/eu-internal-trade-share-member-states/
Eurostat. "Annual share of goods exports within the European Union, by member state from 2002 to 2023." Chart. April 16, 2024. Statista. Accessed August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372938/eu-internal-trade-share-member-states/
Eurostat. (2024). Annual share of goods exports within the European Union, by member state from 2002 to 2023. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372938/eu-internal-trade-share-member-states/
Eurostat. "Annual Share of Goods Exports within The European Union, by Member State from 2002 to 2023." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Apr 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372938/eu-internal-trade-share-member-states/
Eurostat, Annual share of goods exports within the European Union, by member state from 2002 to 2023 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372938/eu-internal-trade-share-member-states/ (last visited August 24, 2024)
Annual share of goods exports within the European Union, by member state from 2002 to 2023 [Graph], Eurostat, April 16, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372938/eu-internal-trade-share-member-states/