The NSO has said that provisional data for international trade show that the visible trade gap in December stood at €82.4 million, down by €15.2 million compared to the corresponding month in 2009. There were increases in imports and exports of €16.8 million and €32.0 million respectively.

The increase in imports was mainly due to fuels and lubricants and industrial supplies, while decreases were registered in consumer goods and capital goods. Machinery and transport equipment accounted for the main increase in exports when compared to the corresponding month in 2009. Other increases were registered in miscellaneous manufactured articles, mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, semi-manufactured goods, chemicals, miscellaneous transactions and commodities, and beverages and tobacco. Decreases were registered in food and crude materials.

The visible trade gap in 2010 widened by €34.7 million, to stand at €1,443.4 million. This was due to increases in imports and exports of €585.2 million and €550.7 million respectively, when compared to 2009. The rise in imports was due to industrial supplies, fuels and lubricants, capital goods and consumer goods. During this period the increase in exports was primarily due to machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, food, chemicals and semi- manufactured goods.

Last year the bulk of Malta’s trade flows and consequent trade deficit continued to be directed towards the European Union. Drops were registered in imports from United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Greece, while increases were recorded from Italy and Germany. Exports to the euro area show an increase, mainly to Germany, Italy and France, with other significant increases being recorded for Japan, the United States of America, China, United Kingdom and Singapore.

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