The European Union imported €627.8 billion worth of goods from non-EU countries and exported €640.5 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to Eurostat, with exports showing signs of weakening despite a rise in quarterly imports.

Compared with the previous quarter, EU imports increased by 1.7 per cent, while exports slipped by 0.1 per cent.

The figures also showed a year-on-year decline in trade activity, with imports falling by 3.3 per cent and exports dropping by 8.8 per cent compared with the first quarter of 2025.

China remained the EU’s largest source of imported goods, accounting for €145.3 billion, equivalent to 23.1 per cent of all imports during the quarter.

The United States ranked as the second-largest supplier to the bloc, with imports valued at €85.9 billion, representing 13.7 per cent of the total.

The United Kingdom followed with €39.5 billion, accounting for 6.3 per cent of EU imports.

Imports from Switzerland reached €36.7 billion, corresponding to 5.8 per cent of the total.

Meanwhile, Turkey supplied goods worth €24.6 billion, making up 3.9 per cent of all imports into the EU.

Compared with the first quarter of 2025, imports from several major trading partners declined.

Imports from Turkey recorded the largest decrease among the bloc’s leading suppliers, falling by 7.5 per cent.

Imports from the United States also dropped, declining by 5.7 per cent year-on-year.

The United Kingdom likewise registered a reduction in exports to the EU, with imports from Britain decreasing by 3.4 per cent.

On the export side, the United States remained the EU’s largest market, receiving goods worth €119.4 billion during the first quarter of 2026.

That figure represented 18.6 per cent of all EU exports, underlining the importance of the American market despite a significant decline in trade volumes.

The United Kingdom was the second-largest destination for EU goods exports, accounting for €88.7 billion, or 13.8 per cent of total exports.

Switzerland ranked third, receiving €57.2 billion worth of goods from the EU, equal to 8.9 per cent of exports.

Exports to China totalled €47.6 billion, representing 7.4 per cent of the bloc’s external sales.

Meanwhile, exports to Turkey reached €27.1 billion, accounting for 4.2 per cent of the EU total.

The most significant year-on-year decline in exports was recorded in trade with the United States, where EU exports fell by 30.4 per cent compared with the first quarter of 2025.

Exports to Turkey also weakened, decreasing by 8.2 per cent over the same period.

Trade with China similarly contracted, with EU exports to the country declining by 7.9 per cent year-on-year.