Exports from the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 7.5% nominal growth in the third quarter of 2005, according to EUSTAT data. The total amount came to 3,321.4 million euros compared to the figure of 3,088.7 million from the third quarter of last year. This growth in exports for the third quarter took the accumulated rate for the first nine months to 3.7%, when the accumulated rate for the first six months did not exceed 1.9%.

Total imports experienced a 16.4% increase in the third quarter of the present year and rose to 3,584.4 million euros. Taking only non-energy imports into account, they show the much more modest evolution of 1.5% for the months July to September. The accumulated rate for the first nine months for total imports showed 18.7% growth in relation to the same period of the previous year, and 8.5% for non-energy imports.

Exports and imports for the third quarter produced a trade deficit of 263.0 million euros and consequently the coverage rate of exports over imports fell to 92.7%. However, if imported and exported energy products are excluded, the non-energy trade balance shows a surplus of 780.3 million, 187.8 million more than in the third quarter of 2004. The coverage rate of non-energy exports over non-energy imports went from 125.7% in the third quarter of 2004 to 133.4% this year.

Exports destined for the European Union grew by 6.8% in relation to the figures for the third quarter of 2004. Among the most notable for volume and inter-annual growth were those destined for France (5.3%), Italy (11.8%) and the United Kingdom (21.6%), while there was a fall for sales to Germany (-3.8%). There was a resurgence of exports to the USA (29.8%) and Mexico (23.0%), but those destined for Japan decreased (-28.3%).

Imports coming from the European Union increased by 0.8%, while imports of energy products (chiefly from Russia and Iran) increased by more than 60%.

The duty tariff group with the greatest weight in exports was that of Capital goods (Electric Material and Transport Material), which registered a 2.1% joint inter-annual increase in the third quarter. Metals and manufactured increased overseas sales by 10.1% and exports of Rubber and plastic also showed notable inter-annual growth (55.7%).

Imports of Mineral and energy products rose dramatically by 60.7%, while purchases of Capital goods (1.2%) and Metals and manufactured (-4.4%) had much more modest variations.

The greatest rise in exports occurred in the province of Gipuzkoa, where growth was 12.3% in the third quarter and 14.4% in the first nine months of 2005 as a whole. Imports to Gipuzkoa grew by 5.2% in the third quarter of 2005, the most outstanding of which were Capital goods, with 6.7%.

Exports from Bizkaia registered a 5.2% rise in the third quarter of the year, but their evolution over the first nine months of the year was negative (-3.0%). The greatest rise in imports occurred in Bizkaia, with a 22.8% rise, stemming from the increase in Mineral and energy products, coming to 61.6% in the third quarter of 2005. Non-energy products, however, diminished by 5.0%.

Exports for July, August and September from Álava grew by 5.1% in relation to the same months of 2004, but the balance for the nine-month period showed a more discreet evolution of 0.8%. Quarterly imports for this province rose by 9.6%, in particular those of Capital goods (15.2%).