Romania’s balance of trade posted a EUR 8.64 billion deficit in the first 11 months of 2011, marking a 0.5 decrease compared to the same period of last year. Exports reached EUR 41.74 billion (FOB), growing by 22.5 percent compared to the same period of last year while imports grew by 17.8 percent (CIF) to EUR 50.39 billion.
Trade with EU member states represented 71.3 percent of exports and 72.4 percent of imports.
Cars and transports equipment had the largest share in exports (41.5 percent) followed by other manufactured goods (33.4 percent), raw materials (7.1 percent) and agricultural products (6.3 percent). Romania mainly imported cars and transports equipment last year (34.3 percent) and other manufactured goods (30.7 percent) as well as chemical products (13.3), fuel (11.3 percent) and food, drinks and tobacco (6.8 percent).
President Traian Basescu said in December that positive measures have been taken so far to support exports, thinks, but the government must come up with new strategies in 2012 although such measures don’t necessarily bring in votes. “Of course, it is very difficult to set such an objective for the politicians as this doesn’t mean higher salaries or pensions and talking about the balance of trade doesn’t bring votes,” he explained.
Simona Bazavan