Brussels, Belgium. Eurostat reported that the euro area’s trade surplus declined in February 2026 from the same month a year earlier, as exports fell and imports also decreased. The bloc nevertheless moved from a deficit in January to a surplus in February.
Headline trade figures
The euro area trade surplus stood at €11.5 billion in February 2026, down from €23.1 billion in February 2025. Exports fell to €232.4 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 6.7 per cent from €249.1 billion, while imports declined 2.2 per cent to €220.9 billion from €225.9 billion.
Monthly shift in the trade balance
Despite the year-on-year decline, the euro area recorded a monthly improvement, moving from a deficit of €1.0 billion in January 2026 to a surplus of €11.5 billion in February 2026. Eurostat said this was largely driven by machinery and vehicles, where the surplus rose from €1.5 billion in January to €10.2 billion in February.
Sectoral changes year-on-year
Compared with February 2025, the overall surplus dropped by €11.6 billion amid mixed sector performance. The chemicals sector surplus declined from €30.4 billion to €16.2 billion, while the machinery and vehicles surplus fell from €14.2 billion to €10.2 billion. The energy sector deficit narrowed from €-25.2 billion in February 2025 to €-20.0 billion in February 2026.
What do you think the February 2026 trade figures indicate about the euro area’s sectoral performance?
