Xifres de comerç exterior de República Txeca

Foreign Trade in Figures

Czech Republic’s economy is very open to the outside world: according to the World Bank, external trade accounts for 143% of the GDP. The automobile industry is the backbone of trade, both for imports and exports, vehicles and spare part manufacturing accounting for nearly one-fifth of Czech exports, followed by computers (6.6%), and telephones (5%). Imports are led by computers (5.3%), parts and accessories for tractors (5.1%), telephones (5.1%), and motor cars (2.3% - data Comtrade).

As a medium-sized, open, export-driven economy, the Czech market is strongly dependent on foreign demand, especially from EU partners. In 2021, Germany was Czech Republic's major trading partner, receiving 32.4% of its exports and supplying 22.4% of its imports. Slovakia was the second top destination for Czech exports (8.1%), followed by Poland (6.7%), France (4.6%) and Austria (4.5%). China (16.7%) was the second-largest supplier of goods and services to the Czech Republic after Germany, followed by Poland (8.2%), Slovakia (4.4%) and Italy (4.2% – data Comtrade).

Czechia recorded a structurally positive trade balance since entering the EU. In 2021, the country’s trade balance was estimated to be positive by 3% of GDP by the World Bank (from 6.7% one year earlier). In the same year, exports of goods totalled USD 226.4 billion (+17.9% year-on-year) whereas imports stood at USD 211.5 billion (+24% y-o-y). Concerning trade in services, exports increased to USD 29.7 billion against USD 24.6 billion of imports (+14% and +14.5%, respectively). According to the latest figures from the Czech Statistical Office, in the first three quarters of 2022, goods exports increased by 13.4% year-on-year, with imports rising at a faster pace (+19.2% y-o-y). Overall, the trade balance in goods was negative by CZK 65.954 million (around USD 3.1 billion).