Moldova's foreign trade in the first half of 2008 continued the trends noticed during the previous periods. The imports grew substantially more than the exports. The considerable gap conduced to a deficit of the trade balance in amount of $1.5953 billion, by 57.3% more than the figures recorded in the first half of 2007. The degree of coverage of imports by exports was 31.6% compared with 37.2% in January-June last year, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the National Statistics Bureau, in the trade with the EU countries, the trade balance recorded a deficit of $648.4 million USD (compared with $433.6 million in H1 2007), as with the CIS countries - $535.6 million (compared with $360.3 million.) The trade with Ukraine has recorded a gap of $326.4 million, with Russia – $156.7 million, with Romania – $144 million, with Germany – $138.5 million. The exports of goods in January-June reached $738.2 million, by 23% more than in H1 2007. The imports rose to $2.3335 billion in H1, by 4.5% more than in H1 2007. The first partner-count6ries in exports were Romania, the Russian Federation, Italy, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany. The exports to Romania rose 64.1% and reached $154.8 million, to Russian – 50.6% ($149.5 million), to Italy – 28.1% ($82.4 million). Substantial increases have been registered in the exports of food, drinks and tobacco (+45.4%), machines and devices (by 1.9 times), textiles and apparel (+21.5%), mineral products (+54.5%), common metals and articles from common metals (+12.5%). The first partner-countries from which Moldova imports are Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Germany, Italy, China. The deliveries from Romania grew 64.2%, from Ukraine – 33.7%, from Russia – 32%. The increases related to mineral products (+51.9%), machines and devices (+52.2%), vehicles (by 1.8 times), food, drinks and tobacco (1.7 times), chemicals (+36.6%), vegetal products (1.8 times), etc. The natural entities exported goods and products worth $0.1 million in the first half of 2008 and imported goods worth $84 million.