Most of the Romanian exports are directed to the countries of Western Europe – France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, absorbing 57% of the goods and services to the European Union and 44% of total exports (about 37.2 billion euros during the 2018), resulting in a commercial surplus of 3.8 billion euros in relation to these countries, the Competition Council noted in the study on Romania’s foreign trade and the barriers on the European markets for Romanian exporters.

At the same time, Romania exports much less to the countries of Eastern Europe, which are structurally and geographically closest, such as Hungary (deficit of EUR 2.6 billion), Poland (-2.3 billion), Slovakia (-658 million euros), the Czech Republic (-398 million euros).

The analysis carried out by the Competition Authority shows that in 2018, transport services generated exports of about 6.15 billion euros – one third of the total exports of services in Romania and the equivalent of 46% of the total surplus of foreign trade with services.

The transport services, along with those for business (B2B), the goods processing services, respectively the IT & C services, generate the largest exports from Romania, being among the economic sectors that contribute to the balancing of Romania’s trade balance, along with the exports of goods from the auto industry.

According to the data, Romania exported cars and car components (parts or tires) in the total value of 32.1 billion euros (47.4% of total Romanian exports) in 2018.

At aggregate level, Romania recorded a trade deficit on commodities (FOB / CIF) of 15.1 billion euros in 2018, and a trade surplus on the services of 8 billion euros, according to data from the National Bank of Romania and Eurostat.