2026.09.1108:19:58UTC+00Bulgaria Trade Deficit Widens in July

Bulgaria’s trade deficit widened to EUR 1,026.9 million in July 2026, up from EUR 838.8 million in the same month a year earlier. Imports rose by 8.5% year-on-year to EUR 5,089.9 million, driven by stronger demand for goods from both EU countries (+5.0%) and non-EU countries (+13.0%). Among non-EU partners, the largest increases in imports came from Türkiye (+35.5%), China (+49.0%), and Kazakhstan (+37.8%). By product category, purchases of crude materials recorded the steepest rise (+72.9%), followed by mineral fuels and related products (+38.9%).

Exports also grew, increasing by 5.5% to EUR 4,063.0 million, supported mainly by a robust expansion in shipments to the EU (+19.4%), which offset a decline in exports to non-EU markets (-14.2%). Over the January–July 2026 period, Bulgaria registered a cumulative trade deficit of EUR 7,395.0 million, compared with EUR 5,378.6 million a year earlier, as exports rose by 8.5% while imports advanced by 13.7%.