BERLIN: ICT exports from Germany increased by 2.8 percent from the year before to EUR 2.1 billion in the first half of the year, according to figures from industry group Bitkom. Exports of consumer electronics also slightly increased by 0.8 percent to EUR 2.2 billion. Meanwhile, the export of IT hardware such as computers, printers or accessories went down by 3.2 percent to EUR 7.7 billion.
Overall, a total of EUR 16.4 billion was exported in ICT products and consumer electronics (-0.4%). The main importing countries of German ICT were France (EUR 1.30bn), followed by the Netherlands (EUR 1.29bn) and Poland (EUR 1.27bn). Exports to the United Kingdom decreased by 14 percent.
Between January and June, ICT imports decreased by 0.6 percent to EUR 26.6. The most important supplier country remained by far China. Goods worth EUR 12.17 billion were exported to Germany only. The Netherlands followed with EUR 1.76 billion, ahead of Vietnam (EUR 1.61bn) and Czech Republic (EUR 1.34bn).