As was reported by the Federal Statistical Office on the basis of provisional figures, Germany exported goods to the value of 969.1 billion Euros and exported 770.4 billion worth of goods in 2007. Thus, German exports increased by 8.5% and imports by 5.0% last year as compared to the year 2006. All in all the trade surplus amounted to 198.7 billion Euros in 2007 (159 billion in 2006). This surplus is enough in order to come first, probably for the last time, ahead of China which generated a trade surplus of 262.2 billion dollars (about 180 billion Euros).
For the year 2008, however, most experts expect a neck-to-neck race between Germany and China and even an overtaking by the latter.
Not only the trade balance but also the balance of current accounts was closed successfully in 2007. According to provisional results by the Deutsche Bundesbank, the balance of current accounts closed with a surplus of 162.0 billion Euros in 2007. In the year 2006 this surplus had amounted to 114.1 billion Euros.
The figures for December 2007 were less impressing: German exports amounted to 73.4 billion Euros (+0.0% in comparison with December 2006) and imports to 62.7 billion (+0.1%).
As compared to November 2007 exports and imports even decreased in December 2007 after adjustments for calendar and season while exports fell by 1.2%, imports even decreased by 5.3%. 