The COVID-19 pandemic has directly affected international trade in goods; therefore, in 2020, its effects on the foreign trade in goods of the Republic of Croatia are noticeable. In the period from January to December 2020, the total export of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 112.0 billion kuna and it was 912.4 million kuna, or 0.8%, lower than in the same period of 2019. In the same period, the total import of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 171.7 billion kuna, which was a decrease of 13.5 billion kuna, or 7.3%, compared to the same period of 2019.
Foreign trade deficit of the Republic of Croatia from January to December 2020 amounted to 59.8 billion kuna, which was 12.5 billion kuna, or 17.4%, lower than in the same period of 2019.
In the period from January to December 2020, coverage of import by export was 65.2%, while in the period from January to December 2019, it amounted to 60.9%.
The most important foreign trade partners in export of the Republic of Croatia are EU Member States. Export to EU Member States in 2020 accounted for 69.7% of the total export and increased by 1.2% compared to 2019.
The largest foreign trade partners from the EU in 2020, observing data in kuna, were Germany – decrease in export of 3.6% (share in total export of 12.8%), Italy – decrease in export of 11.3% (share in total export of 12.5%) and Slovenia – decrease in export of 4.8% (share in total export of 10.3%). The largest foreign trade partners outside the EU, with which the Republic of Croatia realised trade in goods in 2020, were its neighbouring countries Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Serbia. In the observed period, export to Bosnia and Herzegovina decreased by 14.8% (share in total export of 8.6%), while export to Serbia increased by 1.7% (share in total export of 4.7%).
The most important foreign trade partners in import of the Republic of Croatia were also EU Member States. Import from EU Member States in 2020 accounted for 80.2% of the total import and decreased by 7.6% compared to 2019.
A significant decrease was recorded in import from Italy, of 18.0% (share in total import of 12.3%), Germany, of 8.5% (share in total import of 15.3%) and Slovenia, of 9.3% (share in total import of 11.3%).
Import from non-EU Member States from January to December 2020 accounted for 19.8% of total import of the Republic of Croatia and decreased by 6.0% compared to the same period of the previous year.
In 2020 compared to 2019, import from the most important foreign trade partners outside the EU also decreased, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina − decrease in import of 2.5% (share in total import of 2.9%).
Observing the total export of the Republic of Croatia in 2020, the most exported goods were petroleum and petroleum products, worth 8.3 billion kuna, electrical machinery, appliances and devices, worth 8.2 billion kuna, as well as medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 7.9 billion kuna.
In 2020, the most imported goods were medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 12.3 billion kuna, road vehicles, worth 11.2 billion kuna, as well as petroleum and petroleum products, worth 9.6 billion kuna.