Germany: Trade profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

Germany is an export-oriented economy, with trade representing around 83% of its GDP (World Bank, latest data available), and the country is both the world’s third-largest importer and exporter. Germany is by far the world’s largest exporter of automobiles: motor vehicles and parts made up 17.3% of the country’s exports in 2023 (EUR 273 billion), making them the top export product. Machinery (14.4%) and chemical products (9.0%) followed in second and third place, respectively, among the leading export items (Destatis). In the same year, the main imported categories were electrical machinery and equipment (14.9%), machinery and mechanical appliances (12.1%), vehicles (10.8%), and mineral fuels and oils (9%).

In 2023, Germany’s primary export destination was the U.S. which accounted for 10% of the total, followed by France (7.6%), the Netherlands (7.1%), China (6.2%), and Poland (5.8%). Imports came chiefly from China (11.6%), ahead of the Netherlands (7.6%), the U.S. (7%) Poland and Italy (6% and 5.3%, respectively). Overall, the People's Republic of China remained Germany's most important trading partner for the eighth consecutive year in 2023, with a foreign trade volume of EUR 253.1 billion. However, the trade volume with China was just EUR 0.7 billion higher than that with the United States, which stood at EUR 252.3 billion. Germany remains the key trading partner for EU countries: in 2023, it was the leading destination for merchandise exports from 15 of the 27 other Member States (Destatis).

The country’s trade balance is structurally positive. According to the latest figures from the national statistical office Destatis, in 2023, Germany saw a decrease in both exports and imports: goods exported amounted to EUR 1,575 billion, marking a 1.1% fall, while imports totalled EUR 1,356 billion, reflecting a 9.9% decrease compared to one year earlier. As the drop in imports was much more pronounced than the drop in exports, the export surplus more than doubled from the previous year. The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 218.5 billion in 2023. In regards to Germany’s vast trade surplus, since 2014 the European Commission has encouraged the country to favour internal demand dynamics instead of exports, in order to mitigate the existing “macroeconomic imbalance” in the EU (as per the Commission rules, EU countries should not have an external trade surplus of more than 6% of their GDP). Germany is generally a net importer of commercial services: in 2023, imports totalled USD 508.2 billion against USD 440.1 billion in imports (WTO). According to preliminary figures from Destatis, in the period Jan-Nov 2024, Germany exported EUR 1,427.8 billion worth of goods, against EUR 1,108 billion in imports (-1.4% and -11.4% year-on-year, respectively).

Main Partner Countries

Source: UN Comtrade Database, Latest data available.

Main Products

Source: UN Comtrade Database, Latest data available.

To go further, check out our service Search import and export data.

Main Services

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest data available.

Monetary Indicators	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Euro (EUR) - Average Annual Exchange Rate For 1 GBP	1.27	1.14	1.13	1.11	1.12

Source: World Bank, Latest data available.

Find out all the exchange rates daily on our service Currency converter.

Trade Compliance

International Conventions

Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party to the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls For Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
Party to the International Coffee Agreement

International Economic Cooperation

Germany is a member of the following international economic organisations:  ICC, European Union, WTO, European Economic Area, G-6, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IMF, OECD, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Germany click here. International organisation membership of Germany is also outlined here.

Free Trade Agreements

The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by Germany can be consulted here.

Party of the ATA Convention on Temporary Admissions and Use of the Carnets

Yes

As a Reminder, the ATA is a System Allowing the Free Movement of Goods Across Frontiers and Their Temporary Admission Into a Customs Territory With Relief From Duties and Taxes. The Goods Are Covered By a Single Document Known as the ATA Carnet That is Secured By an International Guarantee System.

Party of the TIR Convention

Yes

As a Reminder, the TIR Convention and its Transit Regime Contribute to the Facilitation of International Transport, Especially International Road Transport, Not Only in Europe and the Middle East, But Also in Other Parts of the World, Such as Africa and Latin America.

Accompanying Documents For Imports

Goods coming into a country of the European Union from another country in the Community are exempt from Customs duties and Customs formalities. The documents which must accompany goods moving between EU countries are the following:
- the commercial invoice (at least in duplicate, it must contain the intracommunity VAT number of the operator who is carrying out the delivery, that of the buyer by which he is identified in the country of delivery, it must mention "VAT exemption, art. 262 b-1 of the CGI")
- the delivery note (not compulsory)
- the sanitary and phytosanitary certificate (for live animals).
- the single administrative document (SAD) for trade with overseas Departments as well as with the Channel Islands and the Canaries.

In the case of temporary export within the EU, the ATA carnet and the Community carnet are no longer necessary. It is enough to keep a register listing the temporary shipments.

Concerning transport, no transport documents are required for intracommunity trade.
However, in the case of goods transiting or destined for one of the EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), form T2 should be produced or a copy A (computerized transit). In the same way, goods transiting or destined for the Channel Islands or the Canaries must be accompanied by form T2F.

For a transaction outside the Community, you must add:
- Import licenses
- Certifications
- Single Customs Document (SAD)
- Health certificate

To go further, check out our service Shipping documents.

Free-trade zones

There are currently two free ports in Germany operating under EU law: Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven. The Bremerhaven area was subject to a number of expansions and it now totals an approximate area of 4,000,000 square meters; whereas the Freeport of Cuxhaven covers an area of about 147,800 square meters.
Kiel and Emden lost the free-trade zone status in 2010, same as for Hamburg in 2013.

For Further Information

German Customs
Bundesministerium der Finanzen (Federal Ministry of Finance)

Non Tariff Barriers

As a member of the European Union, Germany abides by the regulations and polices agreed to by all Community members.

There are several limitations to the EU’s (generally) liberal foreign trade policy, especially related to agricultural products. While the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) exists to favour the development of agriculture within the EU, the intervention mechanisms, subsidies, and quotas have been criticised for their cost to the EU and consumers. Moreover, agricultural products containing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) must be labelled as such on its packaging and the importation of beef that contains artificial beef hormones is prohibited. Other goods- medicines for human use, waste, plants, or live animals- may be prohibited or subject to specific regulation.

Sectors or Products For Which Commercial Disagreements Have Been Registered With the WTO

Agricultural products: cereals, bananas, poultry, geographical designation of origin, garlic, salmon, sardines, sugar, wine, corn, coffee, melted cheese, rice.
IT materials, films and television programs, merchant vessels, civil aircraft, steel and cotton.

Assessment of Commercial Policy

German commercial policy, as seen by the WTO
Barriers to exchanges, inventoried by the United States

Standards

National Standards Organisations

Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies

Integration in the International Standards Network

At the European level:
- CEN, European Committee for Standardisation
- CENELEC, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation
- European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)

At the International level:
- International Standards Organisation (ISO)
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

German standards are often used as the basis for the European standardisation system.

Obligation to Use Standards

The German Institute for Standardization is a private not-for-profit organization which administers and co-ordinates the private sector thanks to the establishment of a voluntary system of standards and of compliance evaluation. As a member of the European Union, Germany applies the European standardization system.

Classification of Standards

CE, DIN, ISO

Assessment of the System of Standardization

The consumer of products for the general public does not focus on standards, although they are perceived as a quality assurance. All household appliances have a standard. What is important is the guarantee period. Standards are, on the other hand, a determining factor for sub-contracted products. Quality standards in the manufacturing process are also a determining factor in sub-contracting.

Online Consultation of Standards

Beuth
The on-line catalog of European standards
The ISO catalog
The IEC catalog

Certification Organisations

German Institute for Standardisation
ISO International Organisation for Standardisation
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
VDE - Association for electrical, electronic and information technologies
Technischer Uberwachungsverein e.V. - TÜV (Technical Inspection Association)

Any comment about this content? Report it to us.