Romania in 7th place in the EU in terms of trade deficit in 2008

Romania exported goods worth €33.6 bln in 2008, €4.1 bln more than in 2007, and imported products worth €56.2 bln, €4.9 bln more year-on-year.

The National Institute of Statistics (INS) indicated that imports dropped by more than one third, to €2.49 bln, and exports by almost one quarter, to €1.91 bln, in January 2009.

Specialists in the field said that this disastrous situation will continue in the coming months. “In February and March, imports continued to slide, and dropped more sharply than exports. This trend, which began a few months ago, will continue in the second quarter of the year,” said Mihai Ionescu, President of the National Association of Exporters and Importers in Romania (ANEIR).