The European Union’s (EU) trade surplus fell 60% in February of this year as exports to the U.S. plunged more than 25%, according to data from Eurostat.
European exports overall declined 9.3% in February compared to the same period of 2025, while imports decreased 3.5%.
The steepest export decline was to the U.S., which dropped 26.4% year-over-year. Imports from the U.S. were 3.2% lower in February.
Europe’s exports to China also decreased during the year’s first quarter. However, it was the sharp drop in exports to America that really impacted the latest trade data, said Eurostat.
The drop in U.S.-bound exports follows a period of front-loading in early 2025, when European exporters accelerated shipments to try and get ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
In February 2025, exports to the U.S. rose 22.4% on a year-over-year basis.
U.S. import tariffs of 15% on most European goods were in place for most of February this year.
That was before Feb. 20 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down most of Trump’s tariffs, which had been pursued under a law intended for national emergencies.
Days later, the U.S. imposed a new temporary import tariff and is planning to reconstruct tariffs to replicate those agreed to with the European Union during trade negotiations last year.
