EU trade surplus with US grows in April despite tariffs
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 13, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 13, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
The EU's trade surplus with the US rose in April despite tariffs, while exports to China fell for the ninth consecutive month.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union's goods trade surplus with the United States expanded in April even after U.S. tariffs, data released on Friday showed, while the bloc's exports to China dropped for a ninth consecutive month.
The EU's surplus in goods trade as a whole declined to 7.4 billion euros ($8.5 billion) from 12.7 billion euros in April 2024, data from EU statistics agency Eurostat showed.
The EU goods surplus with the United States increased, as it has done every month since January 2024.
Both exports to and imports from the United States increased for a fourth consecutive month in April, although the growth was lower than in previous months.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced wideranging tariffs on trade partners, and wants to reduce the U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU.
In March, EU exports to the U.S. rose by 59.5%, implying U.S. importers were building stocks of EU and other goods ahead of tariff increases.
European Union exporters faced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium from March 11, on cars from April 3 and on car parts from May 3. Washington doubled the rate on metals to 50% on June 4.
It also imposed so-called "reciprocal" tariffs on most EU goods on April 5, initially at 20%, but almost immediately cut to 10% until July 8.
The bloc's surpluses with Britain, Switzerland and Mexico fell, while its deficits with China, Norway and South Korea widened in April.
EU exports of machinery and vehicles to the rest of the world fell by 4.3%. There were also declines of its exports of raw materials and energy products, while food and drink and chemicals exports were higher than in April 2024.
($1 = 0.8681 euros)
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Toby Chopra)
The EU's goods trade surplus with the United States expanded in April, continuing a trend that has been observed every month since January 2024.
Despite the tariffs imposed by the U.S., both exports to and imports from the United States increased for a fourth consecutive month in April.
The article notes that the bloc's exports to China dropped, contrasting with the growth seen in exports to the U.S.
European Union exporters faced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, with additional tariffs on cars and car parts implemented in early April and May.
The EU's surpluses with Britain, Switzerland, and Mexico fell, while deficits with China, Norway, and South Korea widened in April.
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