EU-GCC trade exchanges reach 129 bn euro in 2011 

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The 27-member European Union imported goods worth EUR 56.58 billion from the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and exported goods worth EUR 72.24 bn to the GCC in the year 2011.

Accordng to figures received by the Kuwait news agency, KUNA, from the EU statistical office, Eurostat, Wednesday, Saudi Arabia topped the list of GCC exports to the EU with EUR 28.09 bn.

It was followed by Qatar with EUR 13.32 bn, UAE 8.78 bn, Kuwait 4.74 bn, Bahrain 853 million and Oman with 731 million.

The biggest GCC importer from the EU was UAE with EUR 32.62 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia with 26.39 bn, Qatar with 4.88 bn, Kuwait with 3.70 bn, Oman 3.03 bn and Bahrian with 1.61 bn.

The leading EU importer from GCC was Italy with EUR 10.55 billion, followed by Netherlands with 9.49 bn, UK with 9.39 bn, Spain with 8.04 bn, France with 7.17 bn and Belgium and Luxembourg together with 5.44 bn.

The biggest EU exporter to the GCC was Germany with EUR 17.61 bn, followed by UK with 10.43 bn, Italy with 10.29 bn, France with 9.23 bn, Netherlands with 5.42 bn and Luxembourg and Belgium together with 4.32 bn.

The bulk of GCC exports to the EU was crude oil and imports from the EU included machinery, chemicals, vehicles, aircrafts plastics products, natural or coloured pearls, perfumery, etc.