Romania's trade deficit widens 3.6% to 25.5 billion euros in first nine months of 2026

Trade balance for the first nine months

Romania's exports reached 75,271.7 million euros between January and September 2026, up 4.3% on the same period of 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Imports reached 100,809.1 million euros and grew 4.1%, so the country bought more from abroad than it sold. The trade deficit stood at 25,537.4 million euros, which is 883.7 million euros (3.6%) higher than in the first nine months of 2025.

Exports (FOB)75,271.7

Imports (CIF)100,809.1

Exports (FOB)

75271.7 million euro

Imports (CIF)

100809.1 million euro

Data from the article text

The INS statement, issued on Monday, 9 November, set out the totals in its own terms.

“In the period 1 January to 30 September 2026, FOB exports totalled 75,271.7 million euro, and CIF imports totalled 100,809.1 million euro.”

September and the third quarter

In September 2026, exports reached 9.462 billion euros, 6.3% above September 2025. Imports rose faster, by 9.8%, to 12.540 billion euros, which produced a monthly deficit of 3.077 billion euros. The cumulative growth rates of 4.3% for exports and 4.1% for imports therefore hide a sharper gap in the single month. The month's trade figures sit inside the same INS release that reported the nine-month totals.

Machinery, fuels and chemicals

Machinery and transport equipment remained the largest category on both sides, making up 45.4% of exports and 36.9% of imports in the first nine months. Exports in that group rose only 2.0%, against a 5.6% rise in imports. Imports of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials rose 16.8% to 9.26 billion euros, while exports in that group grew 17% to 4.94 billion euros. Chemical imports reached 15.04 billion euros, up 6.1%, and chemical exports reached 4.3 billion euros, up 8.5%.

Fuels imports9.26

Fuels exports4.94

Chemicals imports15.04

Chemicals exports4.3

Food and live animals imports8.55

Food and live animals exports6.04

Fuels imports

9.26 billion euro

Fuels exports

4.94 billion euro

Chemicals imports

15.04 billion euro

Chemicals exports

4.3 billion euro

Food and live animals imports

8.55 billion euro

Food and live animals exports

6.04 billion euro

Data from the article text

Food and live animals move the other way

Food and live animals is the one category where the balance improved. Exports rose 8.9% to 6.04 billion euros, while imports fell 1.7% to 8.55 billion euros. The deficit in the group was about 2.51 billion euros, more than 600 million euros smaller than a year earlier. Dividing the nine-month import total by nine gives about 950 million euros a month, a calculation made by Stirile ProTV. Goods classified by raw material followed a similar pattern, with exports up 7.1% and imports flat.

Trade with EU partners and the rest of the world

EU member states remained Romania's main trading partners. Exports to the other 26 member states totalled 53.958 billion euros, or 71.7% of total exports, and imports from the bloc reached 73.067 billion euros, or 72.5% of imports. Trade with countries outside the EU accounted for 21.313 billion euros of exports (28.3%) and 27.742 billion euros of imports (27.5%). Within the food group, exports to EU27 markets rose 10.3% to 3.11 billion euros.