2010 France's textile and apparel products trade deficit of 11.5 billion euros

According to French Customs data, in 2010, France’s total foreign trade reached 836.484 billion euros, with exports amounting to 392.251 billion euros—an increase of 13.5% compared to the previous year—and imports totaling 443.963 billion euros, up by 13.8%. This resulted in a trade deficit of 51.442 billion euros for the year, compared to 44.423 billion euros in 2009. The report highlighted key sectors that contributed to either surplus or deficit. The aerospace industry remained France’s most competitive export sector, recording 41.2 billion euros in exports and a surplus of 18 billion euros, reflecting a 14.4% growth from the prior year. Transportation equipment, including rail and automotive components, also contributed significantly, with a surplus of 14.4 billion euros. Other strong export performers included chemicals, perfumes, and cosmetics, which saw exports reach 46.7 billion euros against imports of 39.2 billion euros, resulting in a 7.5 billion euro surplus. The agro-food sector exported 36.2 billion euros worth of products while importing 30.6 billion, maintaining a 5.5 billion euro surplus. Pharmaceuticals also performed well, with exports of medicines reaching 26.9 billion euros and imports at 23 billion euros, leading to a 3.9 billion euro surplus, an increase of 5.2% year-on-year. However, several sectors faced significant deficits. Energy-related imports, including hydrocarbons, minerals, electricity, and refined products, created a deficit of 47.6 billion euros, with hydrocarbon imports alone reaching 46.6 billion euros, contributing a deficit of 37.9 billion euros. Machinery and electrical equipment imports totaled 95.9 billion euros, while exports were 75.9 billion euros, resulting in a 19.9 billion euro deficit. Textiles, clothing, leather goods, and footwear also saw a large deficit, with imports reaching 28.3 billion euros and exports only 16.7 billion euros. Similarly, metallurgical and metal products imported 34.8 billion euros, while exports stood at 29.4 billion euros, creating a 5.3 billion euro gap. Wood, paper, and cardboard imports amounted to 12.7 billion euros, with exports at 8.1 billion euros, leading to a 4.5 billion euro deficit. Rubber and plastic products saw imports of 21 billion euros and exports of 16.5 billion euros, resulting in a 4.5 billion euro deficit. The automotive sector imported 42.8 billion euros worth of goods but exported only 39 billion euros, creating a 3.7 billion euro deficit—a 16.9% increase compared to the previous year. Overall, while certain industries showed strong growth and positive trade balances, others continued to contribute to the country’s overall trade deficit, highlighting the need for strategic economic adjustments in key sectors.