Overall imports increased by 5.1% on the month while exports were only seen up 0.5% on the month.
And when compared to the same month a year ago, imports were markedly higher by 7.2% with exports only up by 1.9% relative to March 2025
While Destatis does not provide a detailed breakdown, it is safe to assume that energy imports were the numbers one factor in driving up German imports for the month. That as prices surged higher amid the US-Iran conflict. Thus, leading to the narrower trade surplus overall – which looks to be a repeat to the time of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Of note, imports from non-EU countries jumped up considerably by 7.4% on the month. In contrast, exports to these countries fell markedly by 3.3% on the month. On the latter, the most notable is German exports to the US.