The Moldovan foreign trade from January to May 2008 was determined by the rise of imports, which substantially exceeded the volume of exports, Info-Prim Neo has learnt from the National Statistics Bureau (NSB). According to official statistics, the goods exported last May stood at about $126 million, by 6.4% more than the previous month and by 15.9% more than in May 2007. From January to May 2008, the exports reached $608.6 million, by 25.5% more than during the same period of 2007. The exports to the European Union reached $312.2 million, by 26% more than in January-May 2007, with a ratio of 51.3% in the total exports this year. The exports to the CIS countries stood at 40.3% from the total (January-May 2007 – 37.2%), which is $245.2 million. The goods exported to those countries rose by 35.9%, compared with January-May 2007. In 2008, the imports reached $395.8 million, by 11.8% less than the previous month and by 34.4% more than in May 2007. In January-May 2008, the imports totaled $1,890.1 million, by 43.5% more than the volume recorded in 2007. The imports from the EU countries stood at $841 million, by 40.8% more than in January-May 2007, representing 44.6% of the total. The imports from the CIS countries reached $669.7 million, which is 35.4% from the total. According to the statistics, the considerable gap in the development of exports and imports determined a trade deficit of $1,281 million, with $448.3 million (+53,8%) more than the ones registered in January-May 2007. The trade balance with the EU countries was $529.7 million, while with the CIS countries – $424.5 million.