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Export prices increased by over five per cent
Volume of exports grew by 9.4 per cent in 2017

Publication date 27.4.2018 9.00
Press release

According to Finnish Customs’ foreign trade statistics, the value of Finland’s goods exports increased by 15 per cent in 2017. The value of exports amounted to 59.6 billion euros. The export prices increased by 5.2 per cent, and the volume of exports by 9.4 per cent. In 2017, the value of imports grew by 13 per cent and amounted to 62.2 billion euros. In terms of volume, imports grew by 8.2 per cent, while import prices increased by 5.0 per cent. The trade balance showed a deficit of almost 2.6 billion euros in 2017.

According to Finnish Customs’ foreign trade statistics, the value of Finland’s goods exports increased by 15 per cent in 2017. The value of exports amounted to 59.6 billion euros. The increase in the value of exports was due to the increase in both the volume of exports and the export prices. The export prices increased by 5.2 per cent, and the volume of exports by 9.4 per cent. In 2017, the value of imports grew by 13 per cent and amounted to 62.2 billion euros. In terms of volume, imports grew by 8.2 per cent, while import prices increased by 5.0 per cent. In 2016, the value of exports fell by four per cent and the volume of imports decreased by 4.0 per cent. Export prices increased by 0.4 per cent that year. The value of imports grew by one per cent due to the increase of 0.1 per cent in volume and 0.5 per cent in prices.

The trade deficit decreased somewhat in comparison with the previous year. The trade balance showed a deficit of almost 2.6 billion euros in 2017. The deficit in the trade with EU countries was close to two billion euros. In the trade with non-EU countries there was a deficit of 623 million euros. The deficit in 2016 amounted to 3.1 billion euros. In 2016, the trade with EU countries showed a deficit of 3.6 billion euros, but the trade with non-EU countries was in surplus by 434 million euros. In 2015, the trade deficit was only 613 million euros, and the trade with EU countries showed a deficit of 2.3 billion euros that year, but the trade with non-EU countries was in surplus by almost 1.7 billion euros.

Exports in almost all the main sectors took a clear upward turn in 2017. Exports of forest industry products grew by five per cent. Exports of machinery and equipment increased by 12 per cent. Exports of transport equipment saw the steepest increase of the main sectors, 70 per cent, and there was also a rapid increase in exports of metal industry products, 18 per cent. The value of exports of petroleum products grew by 19 per cent, whereas exports from the rest of the chemical industry grew by six per cent. Exports of instruments and apparatus increased by ten per cent and exports of food by 12 per cent.

In 2017, total imports of goods increased by 13 per cent. Imports of capital goods grew by six per cent. Import of fuels and lubricants increased by 20 per cent and imports of industrial supplies by 24 per cent. There was a 23 per cent increase in imports of transport equipment and parts and accessories thereof whereas imports of food and beverages grew only by four per cent. Imports of consumer goods decreased by five per cent.

The value of exports to the EU countries increased by 17 per cent in 2017. Exports to the eurozone went up by one fifth. Exports to non-EU countries grew by 12 per cent. In 2016, exports to both EU countries and non-EU countries shrank by four per cent. Imports from all EU countries grew by a tenth in 2017. In 2016, imports from within the EU were at the same level as the previous year. Imports from non-EU countries increased by 17 per cent in 2017. The year before, imports from outside the EU increased by two per cent.

The EU countries’ share of Finland’s exports grew slightly in 2017, from 59.1 per cent in the previous year to 60.1 per cent. As for imports, the EU countries’ share decreased slightly, from 62.2 per cent in the previous year to 60.8 per cent. The shares in the trade with countries outside the EU changed correspondingly. Last year, the extra-EU trade had a 39.9 per cent share of exports and a 39.2 per cent share of imports, while the corresponding shares for 2016 were 40.9 per cent of exports and 37.8 per cent of imports.

Finnish Customs, Statistics
Enquiries:
Telasuo, Christina tel. +358 40 332 1828
Kaarna, Anssi tel. +358 40 332 8153
E-mail: firstname.surname@tulli.fi
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