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Foreign trade figures of France

Foreign Trade in Figures

France is a major actor in global trade, with trade representing 67% of its GDP in 2025 (World Bank). According to data from Comtrade, France’s exports in 2025 were led by aircraft and spacecraft (5.1%), medicaments (4.9%), turbojets and gas turbines (4.2%), motor cars (3.5%), and jewellery (2.4%); whereas imports mainly comprised motor cars (5.3%), refined petroleum oils (3.7%), crude oil (3.5%), medicaments (3.0%), and petroleum gas (2.8%). Aerospace exports continued to recover in 2025 (+18.3%, to EUR 68 billion), exceeding their 2019 record. Exports of pharmaceuticals rose by 8.7%. The energy bill fell by 15.7% to EUR 71.8 billion in 2025, mainly due to lower natural gas and refined petroleum prices (data French Customs).

In terms of countries, the main export destinations in 2025 were Germany (13.4%), the United States (8.1%), Italy (7.9%), Spain and Belgium (7.5% each), and the United Kingdom (6.4%), with imports coming chiefly from Germany (12.4%), China (10.5%), the U.S. (7.9%), Italy (7.8%), Spain (6.5%), and Belgium (6.4% - data Comtrade). U.S. tariffs weighed on French exports to the United States in the second half of 2025: excluding aerospace, they fell by 13% year-on-year in Q4 2025, with sharp drops for spirits (-47%), wines (-39%), and perfumes and cosmetics (-25% - French Customs).

France registers a strong structural trade deficit. Nevertheless, while the goods balance is structurally in deficit as the country is a net energy importer, the services balance is in surplus thanks to tourism revenues. According to WTO data, in 2025, France exported goods with a total value of USD 683.1 billion (+6.6% y-o-y), while it imported USD 786.4 billion (+4.6% y-o-y). As for the services, France exported around USD 428.6 billion (+6.5% y-o-y), while imports stood at USD 370.0 billion (+8.4% y-o-y). The overall trade balance was estimated to be negative by 0.4% of GDP by the World Bank (from 0.3% one year earlier). According to the latest data published by the French customs authority, in 2025, CIF imports rose by 0.7% to EUR 703.6 billion, after two years of decline. The rise in manufactured goods imports (+2.9%), notably aerospace (+24.6%) and pharmaceuticals (+14.4%), outweighed the fall in energy imports (-15.7%). Exports increased by 2.5% to EUR 614.7 billion, mainly due to higher volumes. The growth was driven by aerospace and pharmaceuticals, while the agri-food surplus fell to a historic low of EUR 0.2 billion; the trade deficit stood at EUR 88.9 billion on a CIF/FOB basis (EUR 69.2 billion FOB/FOB).

 
Foreign Trade Values 20212022202320242025
Imports of Goods (million USD) 715,082823,216788,177751,836786,434
Exports of Goods (million USD) 585,021620,461651,122640,518683,095
Imports of Services (million USD) 269,102292,343331,855341,459369,973
Exports of Services (million USD) 316,398364,052374,547402,666428,637

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20212022202320242025
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 63.876.070.668.167.2
Trade Balance (million USD) -77,149-141,658-84,706-65,033-65,531
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -30,255-70,150-41,937-3,822-6,776
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 8.39.0-0.3-1.22.9
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 11.39.12.52.51.3
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 32.539.336.234.233.8
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 31.336.634.533.933.4

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 2026 (e)2027 (e)2028 (e)2029 (e)2030 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 2.72.22.52.32.2
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 1.21.82.22.22.1

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
France is a member of the following international economic organisations: ICC, European Union, WTO, European Economic Area, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IMF, OECD, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates France click here. International organisation membership of France is also outlined here.
Free Trade Agreements
The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by France can be consulted here.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2025
Germany 13.4%
United States 8.1%
Italy 7.9%
Spain 7.5%
Belgium 7.5%
See More Countries 55.6%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2025
Germany 12.4%
China 10.5%
United States 7.9%
Italy 7.8%
Spain 6.5%
See More Countries 55.0%

Source: Comtrade, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

689.2 bn USD of products exported in 2025
Powered aircraft "e.g. helicopters and aeroplanes...Powered aircraft "e.g. helicopters and aeroplanes"; spacecraft, incl. satellites, and suborbital and spacecraft launch vehicles 5.1%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 4.9%
Turbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbinesTurbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbines 4.2%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 3.5%
Articles of jewellery and parts thereof, of...Articles of jewellery and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal (excl. articles > 100 years old) 2.4%
See More Products 80.0%
799.2 bn USD of products imported in 2025
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 5.3%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 3.7%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 3.5%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 3.0%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 2.8%
See More Products 81.7%

Source: Comtrade, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import-Export Flows.

 

Main Services

400.1 bn USD of services exported in 2024
28.28%
19.28%
16.37%
7.49%
7.43%
5.92%
4.63%
3.95%
3.73%
2.22%
0.43%
0.26%
340.5 bn USD of services imported in 2024
30.28%
17.97%
17.63%
9.85%
5.95%
4.61%
4.04%
3.84%
2.57%
2.49%
0.76%
0.01%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Latest Update: October 2026