Meanwhile, Ukraine’s share in extra-EU imports dipped slightly in January 2023 compared with January 2021 (0.9 % compared with 1.0 %), while remaining consistent in February and March 2023 compared with pre-war levels (all 1.0 %).
Q1 2023 vs. Q1 2022: Ukraine’s rising share in key extra-EU imports
Analysis of trade in six key products, chosen for their significance in total extra-EU imports, showed an increase in the share of Ukraine in five of them when comparing the first quarter of 2023 (Q1 2023) with the same period of 2022 (Q1 2022).
This increase might be due to the EU’s regulation which entered into force on 4 June 2022 until 5 June 2023. This regulation allows open trade with Ukraine without restrictions and stops any measures that were previously in place to protect EU industries.
The most substantial increase was for soya bean oil, which rose by 19.2 percentage points (pp) (51.6 % in Q1 2023 compared with 32.4 % in Q1 2022). Other notable increases were rape or colza seeds (+11.9 pp; 16.8 % compared with 4.9 %), sunflower oil (+10.5 pp; 86.1 % compared with 75.6 %), wood (+2.9 pp; 11.9 % compared with 9.0 %), and maize (+0.6 pp; 71.1 % compared with 70.5 %).
However, the share of iron and steel imports from Ukraine decreased by 3.1 pp (4.0 % compared with 7.1 %).
For more information:
- A Statistics Explained and news article on EU trade with Russia – latest developments are being published on Wednesday May 31, 2023.
- Statistics Explained article on EU trade with Ukraine – latest developments
- Statistics 4 Beginners on trade in goods
- Thematic section on international trade in goods
- Database on international trade in goods
- EU solidarity with Ukraine
Methodological notes:
- The following Harmonised System (HS) codes were used for the selected products:
- HS 1512: Sunflower-seed, safflower or cotton-seed oil and fractions thereof, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified
- HS 1005: Maize (corn)
- HS 1205: Rape or colza seeds, whether or not broken
- HS 1507: Soya-bean oil and its fractions, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified
- HS 72: Iron and steel
- HS 44: Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
- The above products were selected because of their relevance with respect to total extra-EU imports in terms of share or their absolute value.