France had never had such a high trade deficit, with a record of 84.7 billion euros in 2021

In 2021, France recorded the worst trade deficit in its history. The latter thus amounts to 84.7 billion euros, the balance of the exchanges being weighed down mainly “by a more marked rebound in imports (+18.8% after -13% in 2020) than in exports (+17% after -15.8%)”, specify the customs in a press release published Tuesday, February 8. Until then, the largest trade deficit was recorded in 2011, with 75 billion euros.

Foreign Trade Minister Franck Riester estimated that “strong export sectors are still below their 2019 level”, such as aeronautics, which has only returned to 57% of its level before the health crisis. Finally, the deficit is explained by the strength of the recovery, while the French economy recorded growth of 7% last year, which “affected imports of consumer goods, industrial tools produced abroad”according to Franck Riester.