Press release 25/02/202

FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICS (ECOMEX) by province. 2021

Exports grew by 31.2% in Bizkaia, 19.4% in Álava and 17.1% in Gipuzkoa in 2021

The most exported products were “Passenger cars with fewer than 10 seats” in Álava, “Refined petroleum oils” in Bizkaia and “Vehicle parts and accessories” in Gipuzkoa

ÁLAVA

In 2021 exports of goods from the province of Álava grew by 19.4% (1,190.7 million) compared to 2020 and 2.7% (192.6 million) compared to 2019, totalling 7,340.5 million euros, according to data prepared by Eustat.

Imports rose by 21.3% (794.4 million) compared to 2020 and 8.3% (346.5 million) compared to 2019, totalling 4,529.9 million euros; as such, the coverage rate was 162.0%.

This trade was conducted primarily by "Road" with 69% for exports and 81% in the case of imports; the other means of transport used was "Sea", with 29% for the former and 15% for the latter.

PRODUCTS TRADED

Exports from Álava were dominated this year by the "vehicle sector", maintaining a pattern initiated years ago which faltered during the pandemic year. As such, a detailed analysis of the most important products - customs duty groups - reveals that the list (of a total of 838 export headings, 224 of which reflect an amount over one million euros) is topped by "Passenger cars with fewer than 10 seats” (2,056 million), followed by “Goods transport vehicles” (1,508 million), “Vehicle parts and accessories” (401 million) and “New rubber tyres” (366 million); between them all, they account for 59% of the exports for this province.

Other groups worth highlighting are "Wine made with fresh grapes" (197.5 million), "Other tubes and hollow profiles made of iron or steel" (174 million) and "Copper waste and scrap" (88 million); all these products post a diverse range of growth rates compared to the previous year, but two groups in the top ten register negative rates: "Aircraft parts" (-11.9% with exports of 82 million) and "Seamless tubes and hollow profiles made of iron or steel" (-17.5% with 170 million).

Imports to Álava are of course largely associated with motor vehicle manufacturing; as such, the three main groups were "Vehicle parts and accessories" (514.5 million), "Internal combustion engines, diesel or semi-diesel" (438.8 million) and "Electric accumulators and parts thereof" (129.2 million).

DESTINATION COUNTRIES

As in the case of the Basque Country, exports were concentrated in five countries, which together account for 57% of the total, with 4,196.8 million. Germany headed the list (2,068 million) with a clear predominance of “Motor vehicles and parts thereof” (77.6% of the total exported to this country); followed by France (1,093.6 million) with “Motor vehicles and parts thereof” at 27.1%; and this type of product was also the most prevalent in the other three countries in the top five. As such, in the United Kingdom it represented 58.8% of a total of 399.4 million and in Belgium, 74.2% of the 310.6 million. In the case of the fourth country, Portugal, “Motor vehicles and parts thereof” accounted for 14.1% of the 325.1 million exported, albeit closely followed by “Copper and articles thereof” (13.9%) and “Articles of iron or steel” (11.2%).

BIZKAIA

In 2021 exports of goods from the province of Bizkaia grew by 31.2% (2,425.4 million) compared to 2020 and 5.0% (485.6 million) compared to 2019, totalling 10,205 million euros.

Imports rose by 41.9% (3,506.6 million) compared to 2020 and 1.6% (185.4 million) compared to 2019, totalling 11,879.6 million euros; as such, the coverage rate was 85.9%, signifying that imports exceeded exports.

This trade was conducted primarily by "Road" (53%) for exports and by "Sea" (71.3%) in the case of imports, although the latter percentage is driven by imports of "Crude oil”. Transport by sea was also significant in the case of exports as it represented 42.2% of the total. In the case of purchases, transport by road accounted for 25.7%.

PRODUCTS TRADED

In Bizkaia, one product predominated among exports by a considerable margin: "Refined petroleum oils", which accounted for 1,165.6 million (from a total of 925 export headings, 335 of which reflect an amount over one million euros). Next in the list were “Vehicle parts and accessories” (681 million), “New rubber tyres” (677.7 million) and “Aluminium sheets and strips of a thickness exceeding 0.2 mm” (318.4 million). They were followed at some distance by “Unwrought aluminium” (223.2 million) and “Stainless steel bars and sections” (216.7 million). These six customs duty groups accounted for 32% of the exports from the province.

Imports in Bizkaia were topped by "Petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals" (3,148.2 million) and, in second place, "Refined petroleum oils" (964.4 million). “Soya beans, whether or not broken" (484.2 million) were in third position, consolidating their growth in recent years. Other groups worth highlighting for their significant performance this year are "Petroleum gas and other hydrocarbon gases" (355 million) and "Other preparations and products of the chemical and allied industries" (319 million).

DESTINATION COUNTRIES

In the case of Bizkaia, exports were concentrated in six countries, which accounted for 59% of the total, with 6,032.6 million. The list was topped by France (1,558 million) with a predominance of "Iron and steel products" (19.8% of the total exported to this country), "Mineral fuels" (10.9%) and “Motor vehicles and parts thereof” (10.1%). Germany was second (1,184.6 million) with "Iron and steel products” representing 25.2%, "Motor vehicles and parts thereof" at 18.6% and "Rubber and articles thereof” at 13.2%. Next came the Netherlands (856 million) with “Mineral fuels” at 31.4%, “Mineral fats and oils” at 20.4% and “Aluminium and articles thereof” at 11.4%. Fourth place was held by Belgium, 833 million, of which 40.6% corresponded to "Mineral fuels”. This last product also predominated among exports to the United States (816 million in total), accounting for 46%. The United Kingdom purchased products from Bizkaia totalling 784 million euros.

GIPUZKOA

In 2021 exports of goods from the province of Gipuzkoa grew by 17.1% (1,184.8 million) compared to 2020 and 4.8% (409.7 million) compared to 2019, totalling 8,120 million euros.

Exports increased by 29.3% (1,054 million) compared to 2020 and 9.6% (406.5 million) in relation to 2019, totalling 4,650.3 million euros; as such, the coverage rate was 174.6%, signifying that exports exceeded imports by a considerable degree.

This trade was conducted primarily by "Road" with 66% for exports and 67% in the case of imports; the other means of transport used was "Sea", with 29% for the former and 26% for the latter.

PRODUCTS TRADED

In 2021 exports from Gipuzkoa displayed a slight tendency towards products related to the vehicle sector. As such, the top-ranking product was "Vehicle parts and accessories" (667 million), fourth was "Railway or tramway vehicle parts" (329 million) and "Railway or tramway maintenance or service vehicles” (195 million) stood in sixth place. In Gipuzkoa, a total of 886 types of tariff headings were exported, 318 of which reflected an amount exceeding one million euros.

Among the imports in Gipuzkoa, given their significance, it is worth highlighting in the most important groups "Remelting scrap ingots of iron or steel" at 227 million, "Chemical wood pulp soda or sulphate" at 152 million, “Railway or tramway vehicle parts” at 196 million, “Vehicle parts and accessories” at 120.7 million and “Fresh or refrigerated fish” at 99.6 million.

DESTINATION COUNTRIES

In the case of Gipuzkoa, exports were concentrated in seven countries, which accounted for 55.6% of the total, with 4,514.8 million. The list was topped by France (1,468.5 million) with a predominance of "Boilers, machinery and metal appliances" (14.4% of the total exported to this country), "Articles of iron or steel" (12.5%) and “Motor vehicles and parts thereof” (12.0%). Second was Germany (839.6 million) with "Boilers, machinery and metal appliances" representing 26.5%, "Motor vehicles and parts thereof" at 19.3%, and "Articles of iron or steel” at 10.7%. Next came the United Kingdom (511.2 million) with "Articles of iron or steel” at 38.8%, "Boilers, machinery and metal appliances" at 16.8% and "Motor vehicles and parts thereof” at 9.1%. Fourth place was held by the United States (496.6 million) with "Boilers, machinery and metal appliances" at 44.7% and "Arms and ammunition, parts and accessories thereof” at 8.8%. The fifth country was Italy (456.5 million) with "Boilers, machinery and metal appliances” at 26.4%, "Electrical Equipment, Machinery and Devices" at 13.2% and "Motor vehicles and parts thereof” at 12.0%. Next were Portugal (391 million) and the Netherlands (351 million).

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62