Tuesday, February 9 2021 15:54

ArmInfo. Armenia's foreign trade turnover with the EU countries in January-December 2020 lingered in a downtrend with an acceleration of annual rates from  5.7% to 22.9%, amounting to $ 1.3 billion.

The negative balance of  Armenia's foreign trade with the EU countries amounted to $ 418.5  million, having decreased by 2020 by 16.2% (against an increase of  5.8% in 2019) amid a decline in both exports by 25.9% to $ 429  million and imports by 21.4% to $ 847.5 million, which was already  seen a year earlier, but in modest rates - 14.7% and 0.4%,  respectively. This is evidenced by the final data of the RA  Statistical Committee.

As a result, the share of Armenia's foreign trade turnover with the  EU countries in the overall structure of foreign trade decreased from  20.2% to 18% on an annual basis.

In the structure of Armenia's foreign trade with the EU countries,  the largest share falls on Germany - 22.8% or $ 291.6 million (with a  deterioration in annual dynamics from 4.2% growth to 35.7% decline),  Italy - 18.2% or $ 232.6 million (with a reversal of dynamics from  13.8% growth to 12.2% decline), Bulgaria - 13.5% or $ 172 million  (with an acceleration of the annual decline from 7.9% to 27.8%) ,  Netherlands - 9.9% or $ 126.8 million (with a reversal of dynamics  from 3% growth to 34.6% decline), and France - 6.9% or $ 87.7 million  (with a slowdown in annual decline from 21.8% up to 5.7%).  The  negative balance of foreign trade between Armenia and Germany  decreased by 43.2% to $ 178.4 million, and with Italy and France, on  the contrary, increased by 3.6% and 0.8%, respectively, to $ 150.6  million and $ 76 million. Armenia's foreign trade balance with  Bulgaria - by 26.6% to $ 129.7 million, and with the Netherlands - by  40.3% to $ 67.9 million, and these are the only positive indicators  among the active trading partner countries from the EU.

The export of Armenian goods to Germany decreased in 12 months of  2020 by 18.7% - to $ 56.6 million, with a decline in imports of goods  from Germany by 38.8% - to $ 235 million, while a year earlier a  higher decline in exports by 48.8 % was accompanied by an increase in  imports by 28.6%. The export of Armenian goods to Italy decreased by  31.3% - to $ 41 million, while the import of goods from Italy fell by  6.6% - to $ 191.6 million, while a year earlier, these indicators  recorded an increase of 19.7% and 12 , 2%.  The export of Armenian  goods to Bulgaria decreased by 27.3% - to $ 150.8 million, with a  decline in imports of goods from Bulgaria by 31.5% - to $ 21.1  million, against a more modest decline a year earlier - exports by  3.5% and imports by 29. five%. Exports of Armenian goods to the  Netherlands decreased by 36.7% - to $ 97.3 million, while imports of  goods from the Netherlands fell by 26.5% - to $ 29.4 million, against  multidirectional dynamics a year earlier - an increase in exports by  16.2% was accompanied by a decline in imports by 28 ,4%. Exports of  Armenian goods to France decreased by 33.4% - to $ 5.8 million, with  a decline in imports of goods from France by 2.8% - to $ 81.9  million, while a year earlier export growth by 1.6% was accompanied  by a decline in imports by 23 , 6%.

In terms of the volume of export of Armenian goods to the EU  countries, Bulgaria is in the lead, the Netherlands is in second  place, Germany is third, Italy is fourth, and France is in seventh  position. In terms of import volume, Germany, Italy and France  remained in the TOP-3 among the EU countries, while the Netherlands  and Bulgaria occupy 7th and 11th positions.

In total, Armenia's foreign trade turnover in January-December 2020  amounted to $ 7.1 billion, being in a decline of 13.2% (against an  increase of 10.4% a year earlier). In particular, the decline in  imports turned out to be more significant - by 17.7% to $ 4.6  billion, than exports - by 3.9% to $ 2.5 billion, against the growth  of these items a year earlier by 10.8% and 9.4%, respectively.  Armenia's negative foreign trade balance decreased in  January-December 2020 by 30.3% (against 12.7% growth in 2019),  amounting to $ 2 billion