Germany’s goods exports rose 2.0% in September from August, while imports climbed 4.2%, narrowing the country’s trade surplus. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) released the provisional figures on 9 November 2026. The month-on-month figures are adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects. Exports to other European Union countries rose, while shipments to several of Germany’s biggest markets outside the bloc fell.
Key facts
- Germany exported €141.1 billion in goods and imported €125.5 billion in September after adjustment.
- The adjusted surplus fell from a revised €17.9 billion in August to €15.6 billion in September.
- Exports to other EU countries rose 3.5%. Exports to countries outside the bloc increased 0.1%.
- Destatis plans to publish detailed September results on 20 November.
Where German trade grew
Germany exported €80.8 billion in goods to other EU members in September, more than half the country’s exports. Shipments to euro-area countries rose 2.4%, while those to EU countries outside the currency area increased 6.1%. Imports from other EU countries rose as well. Germany bought €62.9 billion in goods from those markets, up 4.9% from August.
Outside the EU, imports and exports moved at different speeds. Germany sold €60.3 billion in goods to countries outside the bloc and bought €62.7 billion from them. The table shows three partners that Destatis reports separately. All figures are provisional and adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects. The percentage changes compare September 2026 with August 2026.
| Trading partner | September exports, €bn | Monthly change | September imports, €bn | Monthly change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 13.4 | −0.5% | 8.8 | +6.2% |
| China | 5.5 | −5.2% | 17.3 | +1.6% |
| United Kingdom | 7.3 | −4.7% | 3.3 | +1.0% |
The United States remained the biggest individual destination for German goods exports. Shipments there were 10.3% above September 2025 even after the decline from August. China was Germany’s largest source of goods imports in September. Those rankings are based on the value of the goods traded.
Over the first nine months of 2026, Germany’s adjusted goods exports were 4.3% above the same period in 2025, while imports were up 4.8%. Exports to other EU members rose 6.5% over those nine months. Shipments to countries outside the EU increased 1.5%. The difference in growth between the two groups therefore extends beyond September.
Why August looks different from the October release
Destatis’s first release for August, published on 8 October, put the adjusted surplus at €19.5 billion. The November release shows higher August exports and imports than initially reported. The import revision was larger: the latest figure is €120.5 billion, compared with the initial €118.1 billion. It is the updated August series that serves as the basis for the September comparison.
Destatis also publishes the original figures before calendar and seasonal adjustment. On that basis, the September trade surplus was €17.4 billion, compared with €17.5 billion in September 2025. The adjusted monthly comparison answers a different question by accounting for recurring seasonal patterns and calendar effects.
The first figures show how the value of goods traded with individual partners changed. They do not yet show how much specific products contributed to the movement. Destatis says it will update the first unadjusted September values and publish the full detailed results for that month on 20 November.
