Catalan exports grew by 9.5 % in the first half of 2017 and totalled 35,640 million euros, a new record

• Export growth is higher than the European Union average
• Catalonia’s sales abroad account for 25.3 % of the Spanish total

In the first semester of 2017, Catalan exports beat standing records and registered a growth of 9.5 % compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of 35,640 million euros. This is the best first semester on record. Foreign trade data, provided by the Ministry for the Economy and Competitiveness, shows the strength of export trade growth in Catalonia.

It should be noted that export growth registered in Catalonia from January to June was higher than the European Union average (7.9 %), and in countries such as Italy (+ 8 %), Germany (+6.1 %) and France (+ 3.5 %). These results show that during the first half of this year, sales from Catalonia to foreign markets amounted to 25.3 % of Spain’s total exports. Other regions have been left far behind, such as Andalusia, which accounted for 11.4 % of all exports (€16,004 million), and the regions of Valencia, with 11 % (€15,473 million), and Madrid, with 10.8 % (€15,260 million).

At a sectoral level, according to data from the Ministry for the Economy and Competitiveness, chemical products led the way for Catalan exports in this first semester (reaching 9,329 million euros with a growth of 8.2 % in comparison to the first semester of 2016), which represent 6.2 % of total sales abroad. Capital goods exports amounted to almost 6,266 million euros, 17.6 % of the total for Catalonia, and 1.6 % of annual growth. The vehicle-production sector, with 5,607 million euros, was responsible for 15.7 % of the total, with an annual growth of 5.8 % per year.

The Ministry has also published specific data for June. In Catalonia exports increased by 5.6 % and reached 6,134 million euros, which are also the best figures for the month of June on record.

[09/20/2017]