From 2023 to 2024, the overall value of Romanian exports slowed to a -0.3% setback from $100.6 billion.
Romania’s top 6 most valuable customers for its exported products are Germany, Italy, France, Hungary, Bulgaria and Poland. Collectively, that half-dozen of major customers generated half (50.2%) of the total revenues collected for all Romanian exports during 2024.
Applying a continental lens, 84.3% of Romania’s exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 9.7% was sold to buyers located in Asia.
Romania joined the European Union on January 1, 2007 albeit Romania maintains its own legal currency.
Fellow EU member states bought 71.8% of all Romanian export sales in 2024.
Tinier percentages went to buyers in North America (3%), Africa (2.5%), Latin America (0.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania led by Australia and New Zealand (0.1%).
Romania’s Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Romania’s top trading partners, countries that imported the most Romanian shipments by dollar value during 2024. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Romanian exports.
- Germany: US$20.6 billion (20.5% of Romania’s total exports)
- Italy: $9.6 billion (9.6%)
- France: $6.3 billion (6.3%)
- Hungary: $5.3 billion (5.3%)
- Bulgaria: $4.4 billion (4.4%)
- Poland: $4 billion (4%)
- Netherlands: $3.7 billion (3.6%)
- Türkiye: $3.6 billion (3.6%)
- Czech Republic: $3.34 billion (3.3%)
- United Kingdom: $3.15 billion (3.1%)
- Spain: $3.12 billion (3.1%)
- United States: $2.5 billion (2.5%)
- Moldova: $2.4 billion (2.4%)
- Slovakia: $2.2 billion (2.2%)
- Austria: $2.04 billion (2%)
- Belgium: $2.03 billion (2%)
- Ukraine: $2.03 billion (2%)
- Switzerland: $1.5 billion (1.5%)
- Serbia: $1.39 billion (1.4%)
- Greece: $1.34 billion (1.3%)
- Morocco: $1.1 billion (1.1%)
- Saudi Arabia: $848 million (0.8%)
- Japan: $839.2 million (0.8%)
- Sweden: $808.9 million (0.8%)
- mainland China: $779.7 million (0.8%)
By value, 88.7% of Romanian exports in 2024 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
The fastest-growing importers of products shipped from Romania from 2023 to 2024 were Switzerland (up 83.6%), Saudi Arabia (up 36.8%), Greece (up 13.9%), Türkiye (up 9%) and Moldova (also up 9%).
Double-digit percentage decliners in terms of major customers buying Romania’s exports were buyers in the Ukraine (down -24.5% from 2023), mainland China (down -15.8%) and Belgium (down -15.4%).
Countries Causing Romania’s Largest Trade Deficits
Romania incurred an overall -US$36.1 billion trade deficit during 2024, expanding by 15.4% from the -$31.3 billion in red ink one year earlier in 2023.
As defined by Investopedia, a country whose total value of all imported goods is higher than its value of all exports is said to have a negative trade balance or deficit.
It would be unrealistic for any exporting nation to expect across-the-board positive trade balances with all its importing partners. Similarly, that export country doesn’t necessarily post a negative trade balance with each individual partner with which it exchanges exports and imports.
Romania incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- mainland China: -US$7.7 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2024.)
- Germany: -$4.8 billion
- Poland: -$4.6 billion
- Türkiye: -$4.1 billion
- Hungary: -$3.7 billion
- Kazakhstan: -$2.7 billion
- Netherlands: -$2.23 billion
- Austria: -$2.19 billion
- Italy: -$1.7 billion
- Bulgaria: -$1.6 billion
Among Romania’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Romanian deficits with Italy (up 44.1%), Hungary (up 31.3%) and mainland China (up 21.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Romania’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Romania to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Creating Romania’s Best Trade Surpluses
Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer, a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.
Romania incurred the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.
- United Kingdom: US$1.8 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2024.)
- Moldova: $1.2 billion
- United States: $1.1 billion
- Ukraine: $700.2 million
- France: $601.6 million
- Morocco: $424 million
- Japan: $354.1 million
- Jordan: $326.8 million
- United Arab Emirates: $298.7 million
- Saudi Arabia: $265.9 million
Among Romania’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Romanian surpluses with the United States of America (up 26.4%), Moldova (up 14%) and the United Kingdom (up 4.2%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Romania’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Romania to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Companies Servicing Romanian Trading Partners
Not one Romanian corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000.
Wikipedia lists Romanian companies engaged in international trade. Selected examples are shown below.
- Antibiotice Iași (pharmaceuticals)
- Arctic S.A. (household appliances)
- Automobile Dacia (cars)
- Daewoo-Mangalia Heavy Industries DMHI (ships)
- European Drinks & Foods (food, beverages)
- Farmec (cosmetics, personal hygiene)
- Jolidon (lingerie, swimsuits)
- Roman (trucks, buses)
- Romstal (sanitary wear)
- Tehnoton (home electronics, machinery)
See also Romania’s Top 10 Exports, Moldova’s Top 10 Exports, Hungary’s Top 10 Exports and Poland’s Top Trading Partners</a>
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Europe: Romania. Accessed on January 30, 2026
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on January 30, 2026
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on January 30, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on January 30, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 30, 2026
Wikipedia, Romania. Accessed on January 30, 2026
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Romania. Accessed on January 30, 2026