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Published: 23 April 2007

Asia overtook the EU as the most important area of high technology imports

Finnish exports of high technology products remained on level with the previous year in 2006 when their value was almost EUR 11.2 billion. However, the share of high technology products of all Finnish exports fell to 18.2 per cent. By contrast, the value of high technology imports reached a record total of nearly EUR 7.8 billion. Nevertheless, their share of all imports to Finland also fell and remained at 14.2 per cent.

Asia's importance grew as Finland's trading partner in high technology in 2006. High technology products were imported from Asia to the value of EUR 3.8 billion and Finland exported them to Asia to the value of EUR 2.9 billion. Finnish exports to Asian countries remained almost unchanged and their share at 26 per cent, but the value of imports from them went up by nearly on EUR 1 billion. At the same time, trade in high technology with Asian countries began to show a deficit for Finland. One-half of all high technology imports to Finland originated from Asia. The value of imports of computers and office machinery, and telecommunications equipment from China exceeded EUR 2 billion and the country's share of all imports of high technology products rose to 26 per cent.

Exports of high technology products to the EU 25 area went up from the previous year by nearly EUR 500 million to EUR 4.8 billion in total. At the same time the share of the European Union in all Finnish high technology exports rose to 43 per cent. The value of imports from the EU countries diminished by more than EUR 600 million to EUR 2.8 billion and their share of imports fell to 36 per cent.

Russia was still the most important country for Finnish exports of high technology products despite the fact that the value of exports to it fell by nearly EUR 700 million to good EUR 1.2 billion. At the same time, Russia's share of exports declined from 17 per cent to 11 per cent. The biggest growth of over EUR 200 million was recorded in the value of exports to the third largest target country of Germany.

The biggest surpluses in Finland's foreign trade in high technology were recorded in trade with Russia (+ EUR 1.2 billion), United Kingdom (+ EUR 600 million), Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (both + EUR 615 million) and Italy (+ 520 EUR million). The balance was the most negative for Finland in trade with China (- EUR 1.5 billion).

Value of foreign trade in high technology products by country group in 2006

Source: National Board of Customs; Statistics Finland; High technology foreign trade

Inquiries: Mr Tero Luhtala +358 9 1734 3327, Mr Markku Virtaharju +358 9 1734 3290, tiede.teknologia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Ms Kaija Hovi

Tables

Appendix tables

• Breakdown of Finnish foreign trade in high technology products and export-import ratio in 2005 and 2006 by country group (23.4.2007)
• Finnish high technology exports and imports as a proportion of total exports and imports in 1991-2006 (23.4.2007)
• Foreign trade in Finnish high technology products by product group in 2001-2006 (23.4.2007)
• High technology exports and imports: Finland's main trade partners in 2006 (23.4.2007)
• Product groups as a proportion of total Finnish high technology exports and imports and the export-import ratio for product groups in 2005 and 2006 (23.4.2007)

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Last updated 23.4.2007