Foreign trade

Foreign trade statistics give an overview of the trade in goods and services between Estonia and other countries. The difference between exports and imports is the foreign trade balance of the country. In foreign trade statistics, goods are recorded on the basis of their movement across the Estonian border and services on the basis of purchase and sale transactions of residents and non-residents.

Foreign trade statistics are published at current prices and provide answers to the following questions:

• what is the total value of foreign trade;
• what is the value of exported and imported goods and services;
• how much are goods and services of Estonian origin exported to European Union countries and third countries;
• to what extent are goods and services purchased from other countries;
• which countries are Estonia’s main export and import partners;
• what is the balance of trade in goods.

The main users of foreign trade data are Eesti Pank (Bank of Estonia), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, international organisations Eurostat, UN, OECD, IMF and WTO. Foreign trade data are important for monitoring economic developments in the country and planning economic policy. The statistics are also used in the calculation of the GDP and compiling the balance of payments. Enterprises can use the data for market research purposes.