In 2006, the EU27 exported 269 billion euro of goods to the USA, while imports amounted to 178 bn. The most notable feature of EU-US trade over recent years has been the continued growth in the EU27 surplus, from 32 bn in 2000 to 91 bn in 2006. This increase in the surplus is due both to an increase in exports to the USA (from 238 bn in 2000 to 269 bn in 2006), and to a decrease in imports from the USA (from 206 bn to 178 bn). In relative terms, EU27 exports to the USA fell from 28% of total EU27 exports in 2000 to 23% in 2006, while imports declined from 21% to 13% over the same period. Almost 42% of EU27 exports to the USA, and nearly 45% of EU27 imports from the USA, were machinery and vehicles in 2006.
Among the Member States, Germany was the largest exporter to the USA in 2006, with 76 bn euro, or 28% of the total, followed by the United Kingdom (46 bn or 17%). The United Kingdom (39 bn or 22%) and Germany (37 bn or 21%) were also the largest importers. Most Member States recorded a surplus in trade with the USA in 2006, the largest being registered by Germany (+40 bn), Italy (+14 bn) and Ireland (+10 bn).
USA: a third of extra-EU25 trade in services
In 2005, the EU25 exported 123 bn euro of services to the USA, while imports of services from the USA amounted to 116 bn, meaning that the EU25 had a surplus of 7 bn in trade in services with the USA. This surplus was mainly due to transportation services (+11 bn), as well as financial services (+5 bn) and travel (+4 bn), while royalties and license fees recorded the largest deficit (-11 bn). The USA accounted for a third of total extra-EU25 trade in services.
Among the Member States, and as for trade in goods, the United Kingdom (34 bn euro or 27% of total exports and 22 bn or 19% of imports in 2005) and Germany (19% and 16% respectively) were the largest traders of services with the USA. The largest surpluses were registered by the United Kingdom (+12 bn), Greece (+5 bn) and France (+4 bn), and the largest deficits by Ireland (-15 bn) and the Netherlands (-1 bn).
Large variation in EU25 FDI flows in the USA
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows between the EU25 and the USA show large variations, with EU25 investment in the USA of 159 bn euro in 2001, 3 bn in 2002, 51 bn in 2003, 8 bn in 2004 and 29 bn in 2005. On the other hand, US direct investment into the EU25 decreased from 80 bn in 2001 to 9 bn in 2004, then rose to 17 bn in 2005.
