Austria Trade Deficit Narrows Sharply in June

Austria recorded a trade surplus of EUR 268.0 million in July 2026, shifting from a deficit of EUR 627.0 million in the same month a year earlier. This marked the largest surplus since February, as export growth outpaced imports. Exports jumped 6.7% year-on-year to EUR 17.6 million, driven largely by increased shipments to both intra-EU and extra-EU countries, which rose 4.8% and 10.8%, respectively. Export growth was supported by machinery and vehicles (+8.2%) and chemical products (+15.9%), offsetting a decline in other goods (-35.1%). Meanwhile, imports grew 1.9% to EUR 17.3 million, lifted by higher purchases from extra-EU countries (+8.9%), while intra-EU countries (-1.4%) recorded declines. Import growth was strongest in machinery and vehicles (+2.4%) and chemical products (+4.4%). In the January–July period, the trade balance recorded a deficit of EUR 3.9 million, as both imports and exports rose at the same pace of 5.7%.

Austria’s trade deficit narrowed sharply to EUR 29.2 million in June 2026 from EUR 747.0 million in the same month a year earlier. This marked the smallest trade deficit since the last surplus in February, as export growth outpaced imports. Exports jumped 15.4% year-on-year to EUR 17.7 million, lifted by increased shipments to both intra-EU and extra-EU countries, which rose 15.7% and 14.8%, respectively. Export growth was supported by machinery and vehicles (+17.2%) and chemical products (+21.8%). Meanwhile, imports rose 10.4% to EUR 17.7 million, driven largely by higher purchases from both intra-EU (+8.3%) and extra-EU countries (+14.4%). Import growth was strongest in fuels and energy (+24.9%), chemical products (+14.1%), and machinery and vehicles (+10.6%). In the first half of 2026, the trade balance recorded a deficit of EUR 3.7 million, as imports (+5.9%) rose faster than exports (+5.4%).

Austria’s trade deficit widened to EUR 635.5 million in May 2026 from EUR 476 million in the corresponding month of the previous year. The latest figure marked the largest trade deficit since December 2025, as import growth outpaced exports. Imports rose 1.1% year-on-year to EUR 16.3 billion, supported by stronger purchases from extra-EU countries, which increased 3.4%, while imports from intra-EU countries edged down 0.1%. Import growth was led by fuels and energy (+34.4%), processed goods (+4.7%), and machinery and vehicles (+4.4%), offsetting the decline in manufactured goods (-1.6%). Meanwhile, exports rose just 0.2% to EUR 15.7 billion, driven largely by higher shipments to extra-EU countries, which increased 1.8%, while exports to intra-EU countries fell 0.5%. Export growth was strongest in chemical products (+11.9%) and other goods (+12.5%), while shipments of machinery and vehicles declined 3.2%.