Eurozone trade surplus at 22.3 billion euro; trade with India down 15 per cent

The first estimate for the eurozone (16 countries) saw a trade surplus of 22.3 billion euros ($30.7 billion) in 2009 in contrast to a trade deficit of 54.7 billion euros in 2008, European Union (EU) statistics agency Eurostat said yesterday.

However, export and import businesses between India and European Union countries have reduced by 15 to 16 per cent during last year, Eurostat said.

Exports from the 27-member body to India have decreased to 24.5 billion euro between January and November 2009, while the EU lost 15 per cent of import from India during the same period as compared to the figure in 2008.

 However, the EU27 recorded a deficit of 105.5 billion euro in 2009. However, this was a big improvement on the bloc's deficit of 258.4 billion in 2008.

 The euro area trade balance with the rest of the world in December 2009 gave a 4.4 billion euro surplus, compared with a deficit of 1.8 billion euro in December 2008.

The November 2009 balance was 4 billion euro, compared with -6.9 billion euro in November 2008.