EU enterprises engaged in international goods trade remain heavily skewed towards import activity, with only a minority operating as balanced two-way traders, according to Eurostat.

According to the latest data, 21.3 per cent of enterprises trading goods internationally in 2024 were two-way traders, meaning they both import and export goods.

A much larger share, 70.6 per cent, were solely importers, while the remaining 8.1 per cent were exporters only, highlighting a strong dependence on imported goods across European businesses.

Despite their smaller numbers, two-way traders accounted for 95.4 per cent of the total value of goods traded, underscoring their dominance in overall trade flows within the EU economy.

By contrast, enterprises that only imported represented 3.7 per cent of trade value, while exporters accounted for just 0.9 per cent, showing a highly concentrated trade structure.

Sectoral differences were significant, with the highest proportion of two-way trading enterprises recorded in manufacturing at 43.8 per cent, followed by mining and quarrying at 36.8 per cent and wholesale and retail trade at 29.6 per cent.

At the other end of the scale, real estate activities recorded only 7.4 per cent of enterprises engaged in two-way trade, while construction stood at 8.4 per cent and financial and insurance activities at 10.3 per cent, reflecting limited export activity in these sectors.

In terms of import-only businesses, the highest shares were found in construction at 87.3 per cent, followed closely by real estate activities at 86.5 per cent and financial and insurance activities at 82.4 per cent, indicating strong reliance on imported goods or services inputs.

Lower shares of import-only enterprises were recorded in manufacturing at 44.7 per cent, mining and quarrying at 46.5 per cent and water supply at 57.5 per cent, where production-linked trade activity is more balanced.

For export-only enterprises, the highest proportions were observed in agriculture, forestry and fishing at 19.7 per cent, followed by mining and quarrying at 16.7 per cent and transportation and storage at 14.3 per cent, sectors with stronger outward trade orientation.

The lowest shares of export-only firms were recorded in construction at 4.4 per cent, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply at 5.9 per cent, and real estate activities at 6.1 per cent, where international export activity remains limited.

Eurostat’s data highlights the structural differences across sectors in the EU economy, with manufacturing continuing to anchor two-way trade, while services and construction remain largely import-dependent.