Belgium's merchandise exports declined further in the month of March, data released by the National Bank of Belgium showed Thursday.
Goods exports decreased 2.3 percent year-on-year to EUR22 billion in March, after recording a 5.3 percent fall in February. Shipments to the European Union states edged up 0.3 percent annually, while dispatches to non-EU countries fell by 7.9 percent.
Likewise, imports fell 3.5 percent from a year earlier to EUR22.1 billion March, which was slower than the 5.8 percent contraction seen in the previous month. Arrivals from EU countries and non-EU countries dropped 2.4 percent and 6.7 percent respectively from March last year.
The net trade for March was balanced, indicating an improvement from February's EUR0.4 billion deficit. In March 2012, the trade balance was a deficit of EUR0.3 billion, data showed.
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