The surge is attributed to exports to the EU, which rose 6.1% year-on-year to EUR 1.35bn. Exports to non-EU countries were almost flat.

Imports to the EU meanwhile dropped 0.8% to EUR 1.42bn while non-EU imports rose almost 10% to EUR 372m.

In the first two months of the year exports rose 6.7% over the same period last year and imports declined 1.3%.