Finland Trade Balance Swings to Surplus

Finland posted a trade surplus of EUR 0.25 billion in March 2026, shifting from a deficit of EUR 0.16 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year, preliminary estimates showed. Exports climbed by 13.7% year-on-year to an eight-month high of EUR 7.36 billion, driven by sharp increases of shipments to both EU (+11.8%) and non-EU countries (+16.3%). Sales to Sweden (+15%), the US (+40.9%), Poland (+50.7%), and Estonia (+22.3%) saw the largest increases. Meanwhile, imports rose at a softer 7.2%, but to a three-year high of EUR 7.11 billion. It should be noted that imports from EU countries are now compiled using a new methodology starting January 2026, so only total values are comparable with those of 2025. Finnish Customs will not publish other annual change data for imports in 2026. Considering the first three months of 2026, the country’s trade deficit expanded to EUR 0.91 billion from EUR 0.67 billion in the same period last year.

Finland recorded a trade deficit of EUR 0.66 billion in February 2026, widening sharply from EUR 0.25 billion in the corresponding month a year earlier, preliminary estimates showed. This was the largest trade deficit since August 2025, as exports declined while imports rose. Exports fell 3.1% year-on-year to EUR 5.58 billion, due to declines in shipments to both EU (-1.8%) and non-EU countries (-4.9%). Exports to the US (-17.0%), the Netherlands (-24.5%), and Poland (-4.5%) saw the largest drops. Meanwhile, imports increased 3.7% to EUR 6.24 billion. It should be noted that imports from EU countries are now compiled using a new methodology starting January 2026, so only total values are comparable with those of 2025. Finnish Customs will not publish other annual change data for imports in 2026. Considering the January–February period, the country's trade gap widened to EUR 1.19 billion, more than doubling from EUR 0.52 billion in the same period last year.

Finland's trade deficit widened sharply to EUR 0.55 billion in January 2026, more than doubling from EUR 0.27 billion in the same month a year earlier, according to preliminary estimates. Imports rose 8.4% year-on-year to EUR 6.4 billion, primarily driven by higher purchases from EU member states, which increased 2.8% to EUR 3.6 billion, while imports from non-EU countries surged 16.4% to EUR 2.8 billion. It should be noted that imports from EU countries are now compiled using a new methodology starting January 2026, so only total values are comparable with those of 2025. Finnish Customs will not publish other annual change data for 2026. Meanwhile, exports grew 3.7% to EUR 5.9 billion, supported mainly by rising sales to non-EU markets, which jumped 11.6% to EUR 2.6 billion, led by China (3.4%) and the US (47.5%). In contrast, exports to EU countries fell 1.8% to EUR 3.3 billion, weighed down by declines in shipments to the Netherlands (-24.9%) and Belgium (-28.5%).