With a value of over €9.4 billion, Thuringian exports in the first half of 2025 declined by less than 0.1%, remaining almost at the same level as the previous year. Imports to Thuringia in the first six months of 2025 totaled €9.3 billion, an increase of 2.1% compared to the first half of 2024. This resulted in a positive Thuringian foreign trade balance (exports minus imports) of €195 million; in the first half of 2024, this figure was €490 million. These trends align with developments in Germany as a whole, although the increase in imports was significantly higher there, at 4.4%.
Which Thuringian markets were characterized by particularly strong changes in the first half of the year?
The five strongest increases in Thuringian exports (in absolute figures) were all achieved in non-EU markets. These were Turkey, the United Kingdom, China, Egypt, and Kazakhstan. Conversely, the sharpest declines in exports were recorded in trade with Algeria, Brazil, and Romania. The USA, the United Kingdom, and Poland remain the most popular markets for Thuringian exporters.
Looking at the export trends of the individual product groups, it can be seen that the strongest increases are in the automotive sector; the mechanical engineering sector, on the other hand, has to accept the strongest declines.
