EU–China › Plastics
EU–China trade in plastics
In May 2026, the EU exported €486M of plastics to China and imported €1.3B — a €842M deficit in this category.
The EU's plastics deficit with China has widened by about 9% over the past year, from €776M to €842M.
China supplied about 25% of the EU's extra-EU imports of plastics in May 2026 — its single largest source.
Updated monthly · latest data May 2026
— EU exports— EU imports137 months · latest 2026-05
EU exports
€486M
EU imports
€1.3B
Balance
−€842M
Top sub-categories traded with China
EU exports →
- 3926Articles of plastics and articles of other materials of heading 3901 to 3914, n.e.s.€92M
- 3901Polymers of ethylene, in primary forms€50M
- 3907Polyacetals, other polyethers and epoxide resins, in primary forms; polycarbonates, alkyd resins, polyallyl esters and other polyesters, in primary forms€45M
- 3902Polymers of propylene or of other olefins, in primary forms€33M
- 3908Polyamides, in primary forms€30M
← EU imports
- 3926Articles of plastics and articles of other materials of heading 3901 to 3914, n.e.s.€376M
- 3923Articles for the conveyance or packaging of goods, of plastics; stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, of plastics€158M
- 3924Tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles, of plastics (excl. baths, shower-baths, washbasins, bidets, lavatory pans, seats and covers, flushing cisterns and similar sanitary ware)€117M
- 3918Floor coverings of plastics, whether or not self-adhesive, in rolls or in the form of tiles; wall or ceiling coverings of plastics, in rolls with a width of >= 45 cm, consisting of a layer of plastics fixed permanently on a backing of any material other than paper, the face side of which is grained, embossed, coloured, design-printed or otherwise decorated€114M
- 3920Plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of non-cellular plastics, not reinforced, laminated, supported or similarly combined with other materials, without backing, unworked or merely surface-worked or merely cut into squares or rectangles (excl. self-adhesive products, and floor, wall and ceiling coverings of heading 3918)€73M
Monthly figures
| Month | EU exports | EU imports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | €486M | €1.3B | −€842M |
| April 2026 | €533M | €1.4B | −€856M |
| March 2026 | €560M | €1.4B | −€864M |
| February 2026 | €458M | €1.2B | −€778M |
| January 2026 | €491M | €1.3B | −€824M |
| December 2025 | €466M | €1.1B | −€676M |
| November 2025 | €492M | €1.2B | −€710M |
| October 2025 | €473M | €1.2B | −€689M |
| September 2025 | €497M | €1.3B | −€820M |
| August 2025 | €432M | €1.2B | −€756M |
| July 2025 | €505M | €1.4B | −€911M |
| June 2025 | €512M | €1.4B | −€876M |
| May 2025 | €547M | €1.3B | −€776M |
| April 2025 | €522M | €1.2B | −€672M |
| March 2025 | €531M | €1.4B | −€904M |
| February 2025 | €523M | €1.3B | −€781M |
| January 2025 | €522M | €1.4B | −€872M |
| December 2024 | €486M | €1.1B | −€618M |
| November 2024 | €488M | €1.2B | −€702M |
| October 2024 | €506M | €1.4B | −€917M |
| September 2024 | €479M | €1.5B | −€982M |
| August 2024 | €507M | €1.4B | −€937M |
| July 2024 | €564M | €1.5B | −€941M |
| June 2024 | €513M | €1.3B | −€751M |
EU exports, imports and balance by month — extra-EU, EU27 reporter, latest 24 months.
Related trade lanes
Source: Eurostat — Comext DS-059341 · EU27 reporter · extra-EU trade · value in EUR. Figures are indicative and may be revised; verify against Eurostat before relying on them.