Extra-EU exports: transport & other business services

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In 2021, the EU members exported transport services worth EUR 211.1 billion to countries outside of the EU (+36% compared with 2020). This exceeded the pre-pandemic 2019 figures (+14% compared with 2019).

EU countries also exported other business services worth EUR 265.5 to countries outside of the EU (+4% compared with 2020). This marks a near-recovery to 2019 figures, after the dip experienced in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related sanitary measures.

‘Other business services’ was the largest category among the twelve service categories of international trade in services (25% of total extra-EU services exports and 33% of extra-EU imports in 2021) while ‘transport services’ was the second-largest category (20% of extra-EU services exports and 18% of extra-EU imports).

Transport by sea dominated extra-EU exports of transport services

The ‘transport services’ category can be further divided into four subcategories:

  • ‘sea transport’;
  • ‘air transport’;
  • ‘other modes of transport’; and
  • ‘postal and courier services’.

Transport by sea dominated extra-EU exports of transport services for the entire period 2010-2021. In 2021, this amounted to EUR 135.0 billion (+48 % compared with 2020). The second largest contributor in 2021 was air transport (EUR 36.1 billion; +18%), followed closely by other modes of transport (EUR 35.9 billion; +18 %). Air transport is the only mode of transport that did not recover to pre-pandemic levels; 2021 air transport exports were at 60 % of the 2019 exports. Postal and courier services made a relatively small contribution to extra-EU exports of transport services (EUR 4.1 billion; +18 %).

‘Technical, trade-related and other business services’ largest contributor to extra-EU exports of other business services

The ‘other business services’ category contains three subcategories:

  • ‘research and development (R&D) services’;
  • ‘professional and management consulting services’; and
  • ‘technical, trade-related and other business services’.

Transport by sea dominated extra-EU exports of transport services for the entire period 2010-2021. In 2021, this amounted to EUR 135.0 billion (+48% compared with 2020). The second largest contributor in 2021 was air transport (EUR 36.1 billion; +18%), followed closely by other modes of transport (EUR 35.9 billion; +18%). Air transport is the only mode of transport that did not recover to pre-pandemic levels; 2021 air transport exports were at 60% of the 2019 exports. Postal and courier services made a relatively small contribution to extra-EU exports of transport services (EUR 4.1 billion; +18%).

Technical, trade-related and other business services’ largest contributor to extra-EU exports of other business services

The ‘other business services’ category contains three subcategories:

  • ‘research and development (R&D) services’;
  • ‘professional and management consulting services’; and
  • ‘technical, trade-related and other business services’.

For the entire period 2010-2021, the subcategory of ‘technical, trade-related and other business services’ was the largest contributor to extra-EU exports of ‘other business services’. In 2021, this subcategory contributed EUR 125.7 billion (+9% compared with 2020). The second largest contributor in 2021 was the ‘professional and management consulting services’ subcategory (EUR 92.9 billion; +11%), followed by ‘research and development (R&D) services’ (EUR 46.8 billion; -16%).

For more information:

Methodological notes: 

  • The ‘other business services’ category contains three subcategories:
    • ‘Research and development (R&D) services’: work undertaken on a systematic basis to increase the stock of knowledge.
    • ‘Professional and management consulting services’: Legal, accounting, management consulting, and public relations services, as well as advertising, market research, and public opinion polling services.
    • ‘Technical, trade-related and other business services’: architectural, engineering, scientific, and other technical services.
  • Other modes of transport’ include:
    • Space transport
    • Rail transport
    • Road transport
    • Inland waterway transport
    • Pipeline transport
    • Electricity transmission
    • Other supporting and auxiliary transport services

www.ec.europa.eu/eurostat/