Strong Trade Partner

After a dramatic surge in Niedersachsen’s exports over recent years – the period between 1997 and 2008 saw the volume of exports more than double, from around 35 billion to almost 75 billion € – the fall in 2009 was caused by the general financial and economic crisis. Dropping to about 57 billion € (24 percent down) the difference from the previous year was very serious. Niedersachsen’s share of total German exports was 7 percent compared to 7.6 percent in the previous year. However, the first five months of 2010 saw a strong recovery in both export and import figures of around 15 percent, a rise in exports to 26.1 billion € compared to 22.7 billion € in the comparable period last year maintaining Niedersachsen’s position high in the state rankings after North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

The most important export goods were from the manufacturing sector, led by the automobile and automotive supplies industry with strong contributions from machinery, chemical finished products and electricity generating equipment. In the food industry, meat and meat products along with dairy produce are Niedersachsen’s principal exports.

European Union countries are still Niedersachsen’s main trading partners; over 75 percent of the state’s exports are within the European single market with the Netherlands, as in the previous year, the most important buyer of Niedersachsen goods taking almost 10 percent, closely followed by France and then Britain, the USA, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria and Poland. The percentage declines in exports last year due to the economic crisis were mostly into double figures, with a few countries, however, showing single-figure growth, the exceptions being China with around 10 percent, Singapore with 14.2 percent and Hong Kong with an impressive 17.6 percent.

Imports to Niedersachsen developed similarly dramatically, rising from around 31 billion € in 1997 to almost 73.5 billion in 2008 and, in 2009 bottoming out at around 62 billion € - but imports, too, were significantly higher in the five months to May 2010: 29.5 billion € compared 25.6 billion € in the comparable period of 2009.

Niedersachsen’s principle imports are oil and natural gas followed by cars/caravans and vehicle construction. Large quantities of plastics, iron, sheet metal and metal goods are also imported, with the most important countries of origin being Norway, the Netherlands and France.