Slovenia posted a foreign trade deficit on goods of €2.5 billion in the first half of the year as imports increased faster than exports.

Merchandise exports were up by 7% year-on-year to €30.3 billion in the first six months of 2024, as imports rose by 14% to €32.8 billion, data from the Statistical Office show.

Slovenia's most important export markets were Switzerland, Germany, Croatia, Italy, and Austria, with Switzerland, China, Germany, Italy, and India as the main markets for imports.

Exports to EU member states decreased by 1.4% in the first six months and imports were down 1.6%, while exports to countries outside the EU rose by 18% and imports by 35%.

In June alone, exports decreased by 7.6% year-year to €4.8 billion but imports rose by 17% to €5.5 billion, for a trade gap of €644 million.

Exports to EU markets dropped by 3.8% year-on-year in June, and exports to other markets fell by 12%. Excluding processing transactions, exports to non-EU countries declined by 29% to €800 million.

Imports from the EU decreased by 3.7%, while imports from third countries rose by 47% in June. Excluding processing transactions, imports from non-EU countries fell by 3.3% to €773.9 million.

EU member states accounted for 53% of the June exports and 50% of the imports. Total trade with them fell by nearly 4% year-on-year to €2.6 billion.