Press Release 22/04/2025

FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICS (ECOMEX). February 2025

Exports of goods from the Basque Country rose by 2.4% in February 2025

In the first two months of 2025 as a whole, exports fell by 1%, but there remained a positive trade balance of 437 million euros

In February 2025, exports of goods from the Basque Country recorded a year-on-year increase of 2.4%, according to Eustat data. They totalled 2,686 million euros, compared to 2,624 million in the same month of the previous year. Exports of Energy products fell by 39.9%, while those of Non-energy products rose by 5.8%.

Exports were up by 13.1% in Álava and 1.4% in Gipuzkoa, although they fell by 5.3% in Bizkaia.

Imports of goods to the Basque Country recorded an increase of 10.0%, reaching 2,329 million euros. Energy imports were up by 24.4%, and Non-energy imports grew by 5.9%. February’s trade balance was positive (356.6 million euros) and the coverage rate stood at 115.3%.

Imports were up by 4.3% in Álava, 14.0% in Bizkaia and 6.7% in Gipuzkoa.

The four largest export groups were in the automotive sector and together accounted for 745.8 million euros in sales, equivalent to 27.8% of the total. Together, they recorded an increase of 14.5% compared to February 2024

A more detailed analysis reveals that in February, the ranking of 958 export groups was led by “Passenger cars with fewer than 10 seats”, with 339.1 million euros in sales and a rise of 67.1% compared to the same month in the previous year. This was followed by “Vehicle parts and accessories” (178.4 million euros of exports, although this figure is down by 14.9%), “Goods transport vehicles” (138.1 million euros, down 3.1%), “New rubber tyres” (90.3 million euros, a decrease of 14.2%) and “Refined petroleum oils” (74.5 million euros, which was 63 million less than the sales volume for last year, equivalent to a drop of 45.8%). These five groups accounted for 30.5% of total sales in February, with a combined value of 820.4 million euros. Also of note was the sharp increase in exports of “Railway or tramway coaches for passengers, luggage, mail, etc.” (143.6%) and “Turbojets, turboprops and other gas turbines, including their parts and components” (50.5%).

In Álava, the main duty section was “Passenger cars with fewer than 10 seats”, which accounted for 36.2% of total exports and posted an increase of 122.7 million euros in export value, some 61.5% more than the same month in the previous year. A substantial increase was also recorded for “Parts of railway or tramway locomotives or rolling stock” (218.8%), although sales fell by 28.6% for “Vehicle parts and accessories”.

In Bizkaia, “Soya-bean oil” entered the ranking with 19.6 million euros of exports, while increases were recorded for “Turbojets, turboprops and other gas turbines, including their parts and components” (47.0%) and “Constructions made from iron or steel sheets, bars, sections, tubes and similar” (97.9%). In contrast, decreases were reported in the exports of “Petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals” (-59.0%), “Refined petroleum oils” (-46.5%) and “Vehicle parts and accessories” (-16.3%) in particular.

In Gipuzkoa, significant increases were reported for “Railway or tramway coaches for passengers, luggage, mail, etc.” (147.4%), “Parts of railway or tramway locomotives or rolling stock” (49.0%) and “Taps, valves and similar appliances for pipes” (46.8%). However, the figures for “Vehicles for transporting ten or more people, including the driver” were down by 40.9%.

Focusing on imports, the largest group, “Petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals” (which accounted for 18.7% of the total), rose by 20.9%, with 435 million euros of imports. The next largest group, “Refined petroleum oils”, fell substantially (14.6%, with 15.7 million euros less than the same month in the previous year). However, significant increases were reported for “Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons” with 55.9 million euros of imports (up by 146.5%), “Unwrought aluminium” (up by 350.3%, with 448.2 million euros of imports) and “Passenger cars with fewer than 10 seats” (up by 796.1%), with 32.8 million euros of imports accounted for almost entirely by Álava.

The European Union received 60.3% of exports

This month, the top positions in the export ranking were occupied by:

- Germany: 414.1 million euros’ worth of goods were exported to this country, with a coverage rate of 121.0%.

- France: received products from the Basque Country worth 387.1 million euros, with a coverage rate of 213.4%.

- United Kingdom: exports to this country amounted to 173.4 million euros, with a coverage rate of 348.2%.

- United States: 158.1 million euros’ worth of Basque exports were sent to this country, with a reduced coverage rate of 88.7%.

- Italy: sales to this country reached 147 million euros, with a coverage rate of 138.2%.

These countries received 47.6% of total exports and three of them form part of the EU27, which accounted for 60.3% of the Basque Country’s exports.

Over the first two months of 2025 as a whole, foreign trade in goods in the Basque Country had a positive balance of 437 million euros

For the first two months as a whole, and for exports from the Basque Country, a drop of 1% was registered in respect of the same period for the previous year, equivalent to a decrease of 50 million euros. Total exports during this period amounted to 4,950 million euros.

The largest proportion of the Basque Country’s exports came from Bizkaia, with a total of 1,731 million euros, while Álava accounted for 1,645 million and Gipuzkoa 1,574 million.

In terms of product type, “Non-energy products” were the most numerous, with 4,801.6 million euros in exports.

Looking at the figures in detail, an increase of 34.7% was recorded for exports of “Passenger cars with fewer than 10 seats” (587.9 million euros of exports), while increases were also reported for “Railway or tramway coaches for passengers, luggage, mail, etc.” (62.6 million euros of exports), “Turbojets, turboprops and other gas turbines, including their parts and components” (77.3 million euros of exports) and “Soya-bean oil” (44.1 million euros of exports). The sharpest falls were reported for “Vehicle parts and accessories” (50.6 million euros less than the previous year), “New rubber tyres” (down by 23.3%), “Refined petroleum oils” (down by 154.8 million euros, or 63.6%) and “Goods transport vehicles” (down by 31.3 million euros, or 11.3%).

The export ranking for the first two months of 2025 placed France as the leading recipient of Basque exports, with 15.5% of the total exported (767.5 million euros). France was followed by Germany (15.0%, 741.9 million euros) and the United Kingdom (6.6%, 328.3 million euros). Between them, these three countries accounted for 37.1% of Basque exports.

Cumulative imports for the Basque Country as a whole amounted to 4,513 million euros. According to the year-on-year comparison, this figure is 136 million euros higher than that registered in the same period of the previous year. This increase is partly due to the fact that during this period, the province of Álava (with cumulative imports of 1,062 million euros) recorded growth of 16.6%, i.e. 151.2 million euros more than during the same period in 2024. Imports also rose in Gipuzkoa by 85 million euros (10.0%), reaching a total of 930.6 million euros. However, Bizkaia reported a decrease of 3.8% (equivalent to 100 million euros), with a total of 2,520 million euros. Imports of “Energy products” fell by 7.9%, although those of “Non-energy products” rose by 7.3%.

An analysis of the products/groups imported in this period reveals that the ranking was topped by “Petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals” (688.6 million euros, 127 million less than in the previous year, representing a 15.6% decrease), with “Refined petroleum oils” in second place (309.2 million euros of imports, up by 23 million with an increase of 8.2%). These groups were followed by “Vehicle parts and accessories” (130.8 million euros), “Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of 600 mm or more, hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated“(106.4 million euros) and “Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons” (104.4 million euros of imports).

Foreign trade of goods in the Basque Country for the first two months of the year recorded a positive balance of 437.3 million euros, while the coverage rate reached 109.7%.

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