Decrease in International Trade within Rhineland-Palatinate region - Reduced International Trade in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate Experiences Decrease in External Trade for Q1 2025
The Rhineland-Palatinate economy showed a decline in goods value during the first quarter of 2025, as reported by the State's Statistical Office. Compared to the same period in 2024, the state exported and imported fewer goods.
exports amounted to 14.8 billion euros, a decrease of 0.7 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, recorded imports stood at 11 billion euros, marking a one percent decrease. Nationwide, exports increased by 0.6 percent, while imports surged by 4.8 percent.
Imports from the European Union (EU) decreased by 8.7 percent. The increase in import values from the United Kingdom somewhat offset this decline. The EU remains the state's primary trading partner. Exports to EU countries were 8.7 billion euros, a 0.4 percent increase from the previous year. Exports to France, however, saw an eleventh percent drop. Exports to European non-EU countries, the USA, and Japan also went up. Exports to China decreased, while imports from the nation increased by 15 percent, and those from the USA climbed by 25 percent.
Notably, the sectoral distribution showed a significant drop in exports of motor vehicles and machinery, while exports of chemical products and metals increased. On the import side, there was an uptick in the import of machinery and chemical products, particularly pharmaceutical products, compared to the previous year.
The Rhineland-Palatinate's economy relies on key industrial sectors like automotive, machinery, chemicals, and metals. The performances of major players like BASF and Salzgitter AG in Q1 2025, with BASF reporting progress on sustainable investment and technology projects, and Salzgitter AG nearing breakeven, indicate the ongoing importance of these industries in the state's foreign trade.
While specific state-level foreign trade figures for Rhineland-Palatinate in Q1 2025 are not directly detailed in the sources, Germany's overall exports experienced fluctuations, reflecting the Rhineland-Palatinate’s trade performance as it is an industrially significant state. The state’s foreign trade with the EU, Germany’s largest trading partner cluster, likely remained stable or grown as the state’s economy is integrated into the German industrial exports. Imports of raw materials and intermediate goods likely remained steady or grew to support export sectors given the state’s major industrial base.
The community policy should prioritize addressing the shift in the sectoral distribution of goods, particularly the decline in motor vehicles and machinery exports, to support the recovery of Rhineland-Palatinate's industrial sectors. The employment policy, in tandem, might focus on fostering growth in exports of chemical products and metals, industries that are currently seeing an increase. In light of the finance industry's nationwide increase in imports, it would be beneficial to further investigate the impact on employment and potential strategies for Rhineland-Palatinate's industries to compete effectively in the global market.
