The COVID-19 pandemic has directly affected international trade in goods; therefore, in the period from January to October 2020, its effects on the foreign trade in goods of the Republic of Croatia are noticeable. In that period, the total export of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 91.2 billion kuna and it was 3.0 billion kuna, or 3.2%, lower that in the same period of 2019. The total import of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 142.1 billion kuna, which was a decrease of 14.5 billion kuna, or 9.3%, compared to the same period of 2019. Foreign trade deficit of the Republic of Croatia from January to October 2020 amounted to 50.9 billion kuna, which was 11.5 billion kuna, or 18.4%, lower than in the same period of 2019.
The most important foreign trade partners in export of the Republic of Croatia are EU Member States. Export to EU Member States from January to October 2020 accounted for 69.7% of the total export and decreased by 0.9% compared to the same period of 2019.
The largest foreign trade partners from the EU in the first ten months of 2020, observing in kuna, were Germany – decrease in export of 3.6% (share in total export of 13.2%), Italy – decrease in export of 13.6% (share in total export of 12.5%) and Slovenia – decrease in export of 5.0% (share in total export of 10.5%). The largest foreign trade partners outside the EU, with which the Republic of Croatia realised trade in goods in the first ten months, were its neighbouring countries Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Serbia. In the observed period, export to Bosnia and Herzegovina decreased by 16.2% (share in total export of 8.7%), while export to Serbia decreased by 0.2% (share in total export of 4.7%).
Observing the total export of the Republic of Croatia in the first ten months of 2020, the most exported goods were electrical machinery, appliances and devices, worth 6.8 billion kuna, petroleum and petroleum products, worth 6.4 billion kuna, as well as medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 6.2 billion kuna.
At the same time, the total import of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 142.1 billion kuna. In the first ten months of 2020, the most imported goods were medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 10.3 billion kuna, road vehicles, worth 9.3 billion kuna, as well as petroleum and petroleum products, worth 8.5 billion kuna.
The most important foreign trade partners in import of the Republic of Croatia were also EU Member States. Import from EU Member States from January to October 2020 accounted for 80.2% of total import and decreased by 9.6% compared to the same period of 2019.
A significant decrease was recorded in import from Italy, of 19.7% (share in total import of 12.6%), Germany, of 10.4% (share in total import of 15.3%) and Slovenia, of 9.3% (share in total import of 11.4%).
Import from countries outside the EU from January to October 2020 accounted for 19.8% of total import of the Republic of Croatia and decreased by 7.8% compared to the same period of 2019.
In the period from January to October 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, import from the most important foreign trade partners outside the EU also decreased; for example, import from Bosnia and Herzegovina decreased by 5.6% (share in total import of 2.9%). A significant increase in import was recorded in import from China (23.4%), relating to electrical machinery, appliances and devices.
