In 2012, Ireland’s total bilateral trade (imports to and exports from Ireland) increased by 4.7% to €318.5 billion, despite a difficult global economic environment. Total exports (merchandise and services) increased by 5.5% in nominal terms in 2012 to their highest level ever (€182 billion) and they are now 16% higher than the pre-crisis high in 2007. The total value of merchandise exports in 2012 was €92,120 million, up 1% from 2011, while total imports were valued at €49,024 million, up 1.5% on 2011. Services exports increased 11%, from €81,448 million in 2011 to €90,218 million in 2012. Figures for 2012 services exports, broken down by country will not be available from the CSO until autumn 2013.
As the Deputy is aware, the Embassy network is engaged, in close co-operation with the relevant State Agencies, in the drive to promote Irish exports through the local market teams established under the Government’s Trade Strategy. The local market team, chaired by the Ambassador consists of the Embassy and representatives from the relevant State Agencies in the field. These market teams submit annual market plans as well as six monthly reports of activity, which are reviewed by the Export Trade Council, which I chair.
The following tables provides a breakdown of merchandise trade figures by total trade, exports and imports for 2012.
Irelands Trading Partners – Merchandise figures (
€000)
2012
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Great Britain*
|
13,857,163
|
15,411,489
|
29,268,652
|
United States*
|
18,156,979
|
6,479,864
|
24,636,843
|
Belgium*
|
13,618,547
|
958,955
|
14,577,502
|
Germany*
|
7,517,282
|
3,415,750
|
10,933,032
|
France*
|
4,403,266
|
1,905,522
|
6,308,788
|
Switzerland*
|
5,070,306
|
957,649
|
6,027,955
|
Netherlands*
|
3,324,340
|
2,369,949
|
5,694,289
|
China*
|
1,564,943
|
2,751,117
|
4,316,060
|
Italy*
|
2,672,121
|
780,239
|
3,452,360
|
Spain*
|
2,768,585
|
656,390
|
3,424,975
|
Japan*
|
2,099,983
|
734,049
|
2,834,032
|
Northern Ireland
|
1,451,370
|
1,029,877
|
2,481,247
|
Norway
|
298,417
|
938,162
|
1,236,579
|
Sweden*
|
829,848
|
378,790
|
1,208,638
|
Poland*
|
681,609
|
370,790
|
1,052,399
|
Canada*
|
781,358
|
245,929
|
1,027,287
|
Nigeria
|
304,540
|
676,405
|
980,945
|
Denmark*
|
525,257
|
453,173
|
978,430
|
Mexico
|
679,788
|
271,521
|
951,309
|
Other (Intra EU)
|
38,198
|
913,004
|
951,202
|
Australia*
|
724,139
|
105,556
|
829,695
|
Singapore*
|
512,701
|
297,092
|
809,793
|
Brazil*
|
255,830
|
515,713
|
771,543
|
Turkey
|
455,243
|
309,200
|
764,443
|
Algeria
|
48,197
|
715,361
|
763,558
|
Hong Kong
|
594,904
|
115,609
|
710,513
|
Russia*
|
602,619
|
102,398
|
705,017
|
South Korea*
|
355,912
|
334,185
|
690,097
|
Other (Non-EU)
|
44,991
|
620,343
|
665,334
|
Czech Republic*
|
336,965
|
297,216
|
634,181
|
Saudi Arabia*
|
626,197
|
4,144
|
630,341
|
Israel
|
553,646
|
60,435
|
614,081
|
India*
|
234,576
|
365,356
|
599,932
|
Austria*
|
331,359
|
211,896
|
543,255
|
Portugal
|
386,165
|
131,284
|
517,449
|
Finland
|
383,461
|
113,594
|
497,055
|
Romania
|
351,824
|
125,712
|
477,536
|
Malaysia*
|
240,852
|
216,157
|
457,009
|
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Thailand
|
137,880
|
298,645
|
436,525
|
South Africa*
|
283,325
|
117,881
|
401,206
|
United Arab Emirates*
|
373,678
|
23,250
|
396,928
|
Hungary
|
277,499
|
107,579
|
385,078
|
Taiwan
|
129,423
|
252,160
|
381,583
|
Stores and Provisions (Non EU)
|
369,063
|
|
369,063
|
Ireland
|
|
341,849
|
341,849
|
Argentina
|
80,711
|
236,681
|
317,392
|
Greece
|
255,876
|
23,766
|
279,642
|
Libya
|
31,335
|
169,669
|
201,004
|
Vietnam
|
76,279
|
100,603
|
176,882
|
Egypt
|
135,649
|
28,006
|
163,655
|
Indonesia
|
64,874
|
97,429
|
162,303
|
Bangladesh
|
6,714
|
131,358
|
138,072
|
Slovakia
|
62,868
|
62,626
|
125,494
|
Chile
|
62,197
|
56,765
|
118,962
|
Luxembourg
|
68,819
|
47,520
|
116,339
|
Philippines
|
82,515
|
30,042
|
112,557
|
Latvia
|
72,836
|
37,621
|
110,457
|
New Zealand
|
69,007
|
40,378
|
109,385
|
Lithuania
|
55,704
|
52,353
|
108,057
|
Guinea
|
2,676
|
100,111
|
102,787
|
Kuwait
|
97,928
|
377
|
98,305
|
Morocco
|
68,282
|
20,376
|
88,658
|
Bulgaria
|
66,795
|
12,004
|
78,799
|
Pakistan
|
26,080
|
51,597
|
77,677
|
Ukraine
|
50,185
|
20,089
|
70,274
|
Ghana
|
54,657
|
13,535
|
68,192
|
Lebanon
|
59,460
|
5,219
|
64,679
|
Qatar
|
58,541
|
4,086
|
62,627
|
Colombia
|
33,840
|
27,173
|
61,013
|
Serbia
|
54,039
|
2,333
|
56,372
|
Iraq
|
56,038
|
88
|
56,126
|
Venezuela
|
52,467
|
1,343
|
53,810
|
Jordan
|
51,317
|
1,944
|
53,261
|
Oman
|
46,883
|
6,200
|
53,083
|
Senegal
|
51,174
|
582
|
51,756
|
Iran
|
50,752
|
767
|
51,519
|
Croatia
|
40,262
|
8,264
|
48,526
|
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Sri Lanka
|
4,114
|
42,861
|
46,975
|
Peru
|
28,638
|
14,699
|
43,337
|
Costa Rica
|
14,260
|
28,210
|
42,470
|
Kenya
|
22,298
|
18,900
|
41,198
|
Slovenia
|
32,164
|
8,934
|
41,098
|
Cameroon
|
31,008
|
7,595
|
38,603
|
Kazakhstan
|
37,715
|
146
|
37,861
|
Cambodia
|
3,234
|
33,775
|
37,009
|
Bahrain
|
36,144
|
99
|
36,243
|
Cyprus
|
32,417
|
3,540
|
35,957
|
Estonia
|
23,685
|
11,585
|
35,270
|
Confidential (Non EU)
|
|
32,945
|
32,945
|
Malta
|
23,816
|
9,006
|
32,822
|
Iceland
|
23,434
|
8,755
|
32,189
|
Congo
|
31,709
|
262
|
31,971
|
Congo (Dem Rep)
|
30,907
|
6
|
30,913
|
Tunisia
|
15,095
|
12,422
|
27,517
|
Andorra
|
355
|
26,843
|
27,198
|
Dominican Republic
|
13,213
|
8,043
|
21,256
|
Syria
|
18,102
|
325
|
18,427
|
Mauritius
|
4,736
|
12,818
|
17,554
|
Angola
|
17,065
|
1
|
17,066
|
Uruguay
|
12,393
|
4,587
|
16,980
|
Zambia
|
16,143
|
56
|
16,199
|
Ecuador
|
14,158
|
1,980
|
16,138
|
Mali
|
15,944
|
111
|
16,055
|
Trinidad and Tabago
|
15,502
|
374
|
15,876
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
14,978
|
807
|
15,785
|
Panama
|
14,681
|
688
|
15,369
|
Sudan
|
13,546
|
1,398
|
14,944
|
Ethiopia
|
14,649
|
253
|
14,902
|
Tanzania United Rep
|
14,265
|
360
|
14,625
|
Belize
|
551
|
12,603
|
13,154
|
Togo
|
12,181
|
35
|
12,216
|
Uganda
|
11,644
|
182
|
11,826
|
Yemen
|
11,818
|
0
|
11,818
|
Macao
|
8,085
|
2,574
|
10,659
|
Guam
|
10,464
|
1
|
10,465
|
Ivory Coast
|
8,268
|
1,869
|
10,137
|
Albania
|
5,001
|
5,039
|
10,040
|
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Macedonia
|
8,426
|
995
|
9,421
|
Benin
|
9,120
|
0
|
9,120
|
Nicaragua
|
3,080
|
5,317
|
8,397
|
Bahamas
|
2,758
|
5,396
|
8,154
|
Afghanistan
|
8,078
|
30
|
8,108
|
Georgia
|
6,781
|
1,109
|
7,890
|
Guatemala
|
6,664
|
1,151
|
7,815
|
Gabon
|
4,862
|
2,888
|
7,750
|
US Minor Islands
|
7,245
|
418
|
7,663
|
Honduras
|
3,266
|
4,344
|
7,610
|
Belarus
|
4,631
|
1,569
|
6,200
|
Azerbaijan
|
6,153
|
3
|
6,156
|
El Salvador
|
5,970
|
95
|
6,065
|
Jamaica
|
4,760
|
1,221
|
5,981
|
Namibia
|
2,611
|
1,816
|
4,427
|
Burkina Faso
|
4,073
|
47
|
4,120
|
Tokelau Islands
|
3,701
|
276
|
3,977
|
New Caledonia
|
3,674
|
10
|
3,684
|
Swaziland
|
2,699
|
958
|
3,657
|
Mozambique
|
3,614
|
5
|
3,619
|
Zimbabwe
|
2,986
|
591
|
3,577
|
Malawi
|
3,405
|
60
|
3,465
|
Moldova
|
2,975
|
460
|
3,435
|
Gibraltar
|
3,304
|
4
|
3,308
|
Sierra Leone
|
2,161
|
973
|
3,134
|
Maldives
|
435
|
2,588
|
3,023
|
Fiji
|
2,945
|
74
|
3,019
|
Botswana
|
2,941
|
0
|
2,941
|
Mongolia
|
2,554
|
6
|
2,560
|
Laos
|
768
|
1,708
|
2,476
|
Liberia
|
2,110
|
251
|
2,361
|
Faroe Islands
|
366
|
1,674
|
2,040
|
Bolivia
|
1,467
|
513
|
1,980
|
North Korea
|
|
1,837
|
1,837
|
Seychelles
|
1,559
|
205
|
1,764
|
Mauritania
|
1,629
|
125
|
1,754
|
Papua New Guinea
|
1,497
|
221
|
1,718
|
Brunei
|
1,652
|
4
|
1,656
|
Uzbekistan
|
1,449
|
21
|
1,470
|
Barbados
|
1,448
|
6
|
1,454
|
Additional tables.
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Armenia
|
1,181
|
26
|
1,207
|
Guyana
|
1,192
|
0
|
1,192
|
Cuba
|
865
|
310
|
1,175
|
Turkmenistan
|
1,032
|
106
|
1,138
|
Chad
|
1,075
|
49
|
1,124
|
French Polynesia
|
1,044
|
45
|
1,089
|
Liechtenstein
|
408
|
644
|
1,052
|
Mayotte
|
996
|
|
996
|
Netherlands Antilles
|
937
|
16
|
953
|
Haiti
|
675
|
273
|
948
|
Central African Republic
|
423
|
516
|
939
|
Gambia
|
869
|
6
|
875
|
Surinam
|
796
|
28
|
824
|
Bermuda
|
813
|
5
|
818
|
Madagascar
|
627
|
131
|
758
|
Burma
|
681
|
40
|
721
|
Paraguay
|
648
|
62
|
710
|
Nepal
|
320
|
377
|
697
|
US Virign Islands
|
608
|
37
|
645
|
Somalia
|
626
|
18
|
644
|
Samoa
|
615
|
0
|
615
|
Grenada
|
131
|
452
|
583
|
Rwanda
|
471
|
73
|
544
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
512
|
0
|
512
|
Ceuta
|
105
|
401
|
506
|
St Vincent & Grenadines
|
447
|
0
|
447
|
Turks & Caicos Islands
|
2
|
433
|
435
|
Occupied Palestine
|
330
|
88
|
418
|
Kosovo
|
377
|
31
|
408
|
Niger
|
211
|
190
|
401
|
Cayman Islands
|
309
|
1
|
310
|
Djibouti
|
74
|
199
|
273
|
Kyrgyz Republic
|
210
|
57
|
267
|
St Lucia
|
136
|
126
|
262
|
Tonga
|
226
|
4
|
230
|
Saint Helena
|
130
|
69
|
199
|
San Marino
|
109
|
23
|
132
|
Dominica
|
95
|
20
|
115
|
Burundi
|
90
|
16
|
106
|
St Kitt & Nevis
|
78
|
26
|
104
|
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Micronesia
|
|
95
|
95
|
British Virgin Islands
|
8
|
80
|
88
|
Greenland
|
3
|
73
|
76
|
Lesotho
|
66
|
3
|
69
|
Montenegro
|
53
|
10
|
63
|
Aruba
|
56
|
|
56
|
Anguilla
|
|
51
|
51
|
Comoros
|
18
|
31
|
49
|
Falkland Islands
|
1
|
48
|
49
|
Nauru
|
4
|
42
|
46
|
Solomon Islands
|
39
|
|
39
|
Eritrea
|
6
|
32
|
38
|
French Southern Terr
|
8
|
24
|
32
|
Cape Verde
|
22
|
4
|
26
|
Norfolk Island
|
6
|
13
|
19
|
British Indian Ocean Territory
|
2
|
15
|
17
|
Antigua & Barbuda
|
7
|
2
|
9
|
Christmas Island
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
St Pierre & Miquelon
|
|
6
|
6
|
Vanuatu
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
Timor-Leste
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
American Samoa
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
Melilla
|
|
4
|
4
|
Cook Islands
|
|
4
|
4
|
Niue
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
Wallis & Futuna
|
|
2
|
2
|
Sao Tome & Principe
|
2
|
|
2
|
Bouvet Island
|
|
2
|
2
|
Pitcairn
|
|
1
|
1
|
Tajikistan
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
Holy See
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
Montserrat
|
|
1
|
1
|
Tuvalu
|
|
1
|
1
|
Bhutan
|
|
0
|
0
|
South Georgia
|
|
0
|
0
|
Guinea Bissau
|
|
|
|
Cocos Islands
|
|
0
|
0
|
Kiribati
|
0
|
|
0
|
Country
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total bilateral trade
|
Stores & Provisions (Intra EU)
|
|
|
|
Antartica
|
|
|
|
Heard Island
|
|
0
|
0
|
Northern Mariana Islands
|
|
0
|
0
|
Palau
|
|
0
|
0
|
Marshall Islands
|
|
0
|
0
|
Grand Total
|
92,120,100
|
49,231,251
|
141,351,351
|
* Priority markets identified under the Government’s Trade Strategy.