Slovenia flag Slovenia: Economic and Political Overview

Foreign trade figures of Slovenia

Foreign Trade in Figures

Slovenia is highly open to foreign trade, which represents about 161% of the country's GDP (World Bank, latest data available). This high level of openness makes Slovenia very dependent on the economic health of its main commercial partners: Slovenia is integrated within German and Austrian production chains for automobiles and electrical and electronic equipment, and in Swiss chains for the pharmaceuticals industry, and generates more than half of its goods exports from these four sectors. The largest share of total trade in 2022 was contributed from chemicals and related products (34.0% of exports and 31.9% of imports), followed by machinery and transport equipment (26.7% of exports and 22.7% of imports), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (16.4% of exports and 14.5% of imports), miscellaneous manufactured articles (about 8.2% of exports and 7.0% of imports), and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (8.0% of exports and 13.8% of imports – data Statistics Slovenia).

Data from Statistics Slovenia show that in 2022 the main export destinations were Switzerland (21% of total exports), followed by Germany (14.4%), Italy (10.6%), Croatia (8.4%), Austria (6.7%) and France (3.3%); whereas imports came chiefly from Switzerland (14.6% of total imports), followed by Germany (12.5%), Italy (11.5%), China (8.9%), Austria (8.4%) and Croatia (5%). Slovenia has an external trade deficit with EU member states that has been decreasing in recent years. On the other hand, the country has had an external trade surplus with EU non-member countries.
 
Slovenia’s trade balance is structurally positive: in 2021 the trade surplus stood at 6.3%of GDP (from 9.2% one year earlier), according to the World Bank. Both exports and imports of goods increased during the year: exports stood at USD 57.3 billion (+28% y-o-y), while imports grew at a faster pace totalling USD 57.5 billion (+36.6%), slightly above exports. The country is a net exporter of services, with exports totalling USD 9.7 billion and imports at USD 6.9 billion (+24.6% and +27.6%, respectively). According to the latest figures from the Slovenian statistical office, in 2022 exports amounted to EUR 52.9 billion and imports to EUR 56.8 billion, growing by 34.2% and 36.6% respectively, marking the second year in a row in which Slovenia recorded a deficit in merchandise trade.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20182019202020212022
Imports of Goods (million USD) 42,26744,00742,22557,56069,738
Exports of Goods (million USD) 44,20044,94344,83257,35269,701
Imports of Services (million USD) 6,4966,4385,5967,0877,860
Exports of Services (million USD) 9,5949,6937,9469,99111,628

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20182019202020212022
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 161.1158.8146.2160.9179.1
Trade Balance (million USD) 1,5111,4562,6651,072-2,288
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) 4,5994,7074,8553,6661,352
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 7.14.7-9.617.69.8
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 6.24.5-8.614.56.5
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 76.375.168.577.388.8
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 84.883.777.783.690.4

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20232024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)2027 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 0.92.42.83.53.6
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) -3.23.94.04.14.1

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Slovenia is a member of the EU since 1st May, 2004 and as such is a member of the EU Customs Union.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2022
Switzerland 21.0%
Germany 14.5%
Italy 10.6%
Croatia 8.4%
Austria 6.6%
See More Countries 38.8%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2022
Switzerland 15.4%
China 11.9%
Germany 10.7%
Italy 10.3%
Austria 6.7%
See More Countries 45.1%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

55.3 bn USD of products exported in 2022
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 25.0%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 4.8%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 4.5%
Electrical energyElectrical energy 2.8%
Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic...Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic uses; antisera and other blood fractions and immunological products, whether or not modified or obtained by means of biotechnological processes; vaccines, toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excl. yeasts) and similar products 2.4%
See More Products 60.5%
59.6 bn USD of products imported in 2022
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 13.1%
Heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atom[s...Heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atom[s] only 8.0%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 8.0%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 3.6%
Electrical energyElectrical energy 3.5%
See More Products 63.9%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows.

Return to top

Any Comment About This Content? Report It to Us.

 

© eexpand, All Rights Reserved.
Latest Update: March 2024