The COVID-19 pandemic has directly affected international trade in goods; therefore, in 2021, its effects on the foreign trade in goods of the Republic of Croatia are noticeable. In the period from January to February 2021, the total export of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 18.1 billion kuna and it was 261.4 million kuna, or 1.4%, lower than in the same period of 2020. In the same period, the total import of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 28.4 billion kuna, which was a decrease of 1.9 billion kuna, or 6.4%, compared to the same period of 2020.
Foreign trade deficit of the Republic of Croatia from January to February 2021 amounted to 10.4 billion kuna, which was 1.7 billion kuna, or 13.9%, lower than in the same period of 2020.
In the period from January to February 2021, coverage of import by export was 63.6%, while in the same period of 2020, it amounted to 60.4%.
The most important foreign trade partners in export of the Republic of Croatia are EU Member States. Export to EU Member States in the first two months of 2021 accounted for 69.7% of the total export and decreased by 2.6% compared to 2020.
The largest foreign trade partners from the EU in 2021, observing data in kuna, were Germany – increase in export of 0.7% (share in total export of 13.0%), Italy – decrease in export of 0.8% (share in total export of 12.9%) and Slovenia – decrease in export of 3.0% (share in total export of 10.5%). Among the largest foreign trade partners outside the EU, with which the Republic of Croatia realised trade in goods in the first two months of 2021, were its neighbouring countries Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Serbia. In the observed period, export to Bosnia and Herzegovina decreased by 8.7% (share in total export of 7.8%), while export to Serbia increased by 7.1% (share in total export of 4.4%). From January to February 2021, export to the USA increased by 53.2%, which accounted for 4.0% of the total export, and mostly refers to medicinal and pharmaceutical products.
The most important foreign trade partners in import of the Republic of Croatia were also EU Member States. Import from EU Member States in the first two months of 2021 accounted for 79.7% of the total import and decreased by 7.6% compared to 2020.
A significant decrease was recorded in import from Italy, of 21.7% (share in total import of 11.7%), Germany, of 5.7% (share in total import of 15.1%) and Slovenia, of 7.2% (share in total import of 11.2%).
Import from non-EU Member States from January to February 2021 accounted for 20.3% of total import of the Republic of Croatia and decreased by 1.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. From January to February 2021, import from Bosnia and Herzegovina increased by 31.3%, which accounted for 3.6% of the total import, and mostly refers to electricity.
Observing the total export of the Republic of Croatia in the first two months of 2021, the most exported goods were electrical machinery, appliances and devices, worth 1.4 billion kuna, petroleum and petroleum products, worth 1.3 billion kuna, as well as medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 1.2 billion kuna.
In the same period of 2021, the most imported goods were medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 2.0 billion kuna, road vehicles, worth 1.9 billion kuna, as well as petroleum and petroleum products, worth 1.8 billion kuna.