by Myriam Rivet
PARIS (Reuters) – The trade balance of France recorded last year its lowest deficit since 2009 due to falling prices oil, which has greatly reduced energy costs, and the depreciation of the euro vis-à-vis the dollar, according to data released Friday by customs.
the annual deficit fell to 45, 7 billion, against 58.3 billion a year earlier. It displays its fourth consecutive decline since the peak of 74.5 billion received in 2011.
On December alone, the deficit stood at 3.9 billion euros against 4.5 billion in November. The November deficit was revised slightly, having been announced 4.6 billion in the first estimate.
As in 2014, the improvement seen last year resulted mainly from energy costs, which decreased by € 14.6 billion from one year to the other, 40.1 billion, due to the continuation of the black gold prices fell.
Added to the effect weaker euro, which reached 16% on average last year against the dollar.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Matthias Fekl, said at a press briefing that the decline in the trade deficit since 2011 was due to 80% to changes in energy prices and the euro.
But the deficit manufacturing has nevertheless widened to 2.6 billion euros last year to 21.6 billion, while food surplus remained almost stable (2.6 after 2.7 billion).
goods exports grew significantly (+ 4.3% in 2015 against 0.1% in 2014), in an environment of increasing global demand and euro depreciation. This increase was notably fueled by strong sales in the aerospace (+ 11.4%) and automotive (+ 8.7%).
Airbus sales reached a new record 28.9 billion against 25.0 billion in 2014, despite a slowdown in the number of units sold (313 321).
MARKET SHARES STABILIZED
after having declined in 2014, exports of agricultural products and pharmaceuticals have returned to growth, posting increases of 6.5% and 2.7%, respectively.
Imports increased moderately (+ 1.2%), after falling 0.6% in 2014, due to lower crude prices.
By geographic region, sales to the European Union (+ 2.2% after + 1.0% in 2014) benefited from the improved economic situation in Spain and the good keeping the UK economy.
The decline in the euro against the dollar has led to a sharp rebound in exports to countries outside the European Union (+ 7.4% after -1.6% in 2014).
This is particularly the case with the United States, to which exports now exceed eight billion euros a quarter against seven billion in mid-2014, emphasize customs.
Matthias Fekl reported secondly an increase in the number of exporting companies, which rose 3.1% to $ 125,000.
With the developments of 2015, the government remains far from the goal it set in 2012 to reduce to zero the trade deficit excluding energy at the end of five years.
In a study released Thursday, the institute COE-Rexecode suggests a stabilization in 2015 the share of French exports in world trade, but “without beginning to catch up” lost market share since 1999 .
the report, which highlights a recovery beginning in competitiveness, particularly through the CICE and responsibility pact stresses the need to maintain efforts to that inflection is confirmed.
(edited by Yann Le Guernigou)
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