Export growth is second lowest in EU

DESPITE being the strong point of the economy, Ireland’s export growth ranked as the second lowest in the EU last year, according to figures published yesterday.

The information from Eurostat — the European Commission’s statistical unit — revealed that the 5% growth to €81.2 billion seen in Irish exports last year was higher only than that of Luxembourg and less than the 6% export increase seen in Greece. Furthermore, Ireland and Greece were the only countries to see an import decline last year, of 1% and 22%, respectively.

However, Ireland also generated the second highest EU trade surplus last year (the figures are taken for the first 11 months of the year) and was only one of nine of the 27 member states to not record a trade deficit.