Germany exported commodities to the value of €94.1 billion and imported commodities to the value of €77.1 billion in November 2012. The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of €17.0 billion in November 2012. In November 2011, the surplus had amounted to €16.1 billion. In calendar and seasonally adjusted terms, the foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of €14.6 billion in November 2012.
In November 2012, Germany dispatched commodities to the value of €53.0 billion to the Member States of the European Union (EU), while it received commodities to the value of €50.0 billion from those countries. Compared with November 2011, dispatches to the EU countries decreased by 4.0%, and arrivals from those countries increased by 0.9%. Commodities to the value of €35.0 billion (–5.7%) were dispatched to the euro area countries in November 2012, while the value of the commodities received from those countries was €34.8 billion (+1.1%).