Germany’s exports in August 2026 saw a decrease of 0.8 percent compared to July 2026, after adjusting for calendar effects and seasonality, while imports rose by 0.9 percent. According to preliminary results published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Thursday, exports reached 137.6 billion euros and imports totaled 118.1 billion euros in August 2026. This resulted in a trade surplus of 19.5 billion euros for the month. For comparison, the trade balance in July 2026 was +21.6 billion euros, and in August 2025 it stood at +17.6 billion euros.
When comparing to August 2025, both exports increased by 6.2 percent, and imports increased by 5.5 percent.
In the context of the European Union (EU), exports to member states were 77.5 billion euros in August 2026, with imports from these countries amounting to 59.3 billion euros. Relative to July 2026, exports to the EU states decreased by 0.6 percent, and imports from them dropped by 0.4 percent. Separately, exports to eurozone countries reached 54.3 billion euros (+0.8 percent), and imports from these countries were 39.6 billion euros (-0.3 percent). Exports to non-eurozone EU countries were 23.2 billion euros (-3.5 percent), while imports from those states were 19.7 billion euros (-0.7 percent).
Exports to non-EU countries (third countries) totaled 60.0 billion euros in August 2026, with imports from this region being 58.8 billion euros. Compared to July 2026, exports to these third countries fell by 1.1 percent, and imports from them rose by 2.2 percent.
The United States was the primary destination for German exports in August 2026. Exports to the U.S. totaled 13.5 billion euros, a 6.3 percent decrease from July 2026. However, compared to August 2025, exports to the U.S. were significantly higher, showing a 22.6 percent increase after seasonal and calendar adjustments. Exports to the United Kingdom rose by 16.7 percent compared to the previous month, reaching 7.9 billion euros. Exports to the People’s Republic of China rose by 4.7 percent compared to July 2026, reaching 5.9 billion euros.
In terms of imports, the People’s Republic of China was the largest supplier in August 2026, with imports valued at 16.8 billion euros after seasonal and calendar adjustments. This represents an increase of 11.0 percent compared to the previous month. Imports from the United States fell by 0.5 percent to 8.1 billion euros, and imports from the United Kingdom decreased by 3.8 percent in the same period, totaling 3.2 billion euros.
In nominal terms (without seasonal or calendar adjustments), Germany exported 123.4 billion euros and imported 108.4 billion euros in August 2026. Compared to August 2025, this corresponded to an increase in exports of 7.0 percent and an increase in imports of 6.0 percent. The unadjusted trade balance for August 2026 was a surplus of 15.0 billion euros, up from the +13.1 billion euro surplus recorded in August 2025.
