In the period January - October 2019 Bulgarian exports to the EU grew by 3.4% in comparison with the same period of 2018 and amounted to 32 681.1 Million BGN. Main trade partners of Bulgaria were Germany, Romania, Italy, Greece, France and Belgium which accounted for 66.2% of the exports to the EU Member States . In October 2019 the exports to the EU increased by 4.8% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 3 632.0 Million BGN, the National Statistical Institute reported.

In the period January - October 2019 in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year the largest percentage increase in the exports of Bulgaria to the EU distributed according to the Standard International Trade Classification was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (10.3%). The most notable decrease was observed in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’2 (5.0%).

Bulgarian imports from the EU in the period January - October 2019 increased by 2.6% compared to same period of 2018 and reached 34 112.7 Million BGN (at CIF prices)1. The largest amounts were reported for the goods imported from Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece and Spain. In October 2019 the Bulgarian imports from the EU Member States increased by 6.2% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 3 903.0 Million BGN.

In the period January - October 2019 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year the largest growth in the imports from the EU distributed according to the Standard International Trade Classification was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (27.3%) while the most notable fall was observed in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ 3 (16.7%). The foreign trade balance of Bulgaria (export FOB - import CIF) with the EU in the period January - October 2019 was negative and added up to 1 431.6 Million BGN.