Moldova’s exports to the EU member states have increased considerably. In January-March, they came to US$318 million, an increase of 22.5% compared with the first quarter of last year. They accounted for 56.6% of the total exports, as opposed to 41.1% in the same period last year, IPN reports, quoting the National Bureau of Statistics.

Exports to the CIS member states in the period represented 31.6% (US$180m), as against 41.8% in January-March 2013.

Exports to Italy, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Austria, and Kazakhstan grew, but to Russia, Turkey and Hungary declined.

Moldova’s exports in the first quarter of this year came to US$573.1 million, down 2.8% on the corresponding period last year. The re-exports represented 37% of the total exports, up 7.4%.

In March exports totaled US$214 million, up 13.8% on February and down 4.2% on last March.

Imports from the EU member states in the first three months rose to 6.9% to US$549 million. They accounted for 45.1% of the total imports, in contrast to 41.3% in the same period last year.

Imports from the CIS states added up to US$384.2 million, down 10% on the first three months of 2013. They represented 31.5% of the total exports, compared with 34.4% in the corresponding period of 2013.

Imports from Germany, Romania and Italy increased, while from Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and China decreased.

The balance of trade remained negative, even if decreased by US$7.8 million in the first quarter of this year, to US$645 million.