The total volume of Egyptian foreign trade with European Union states reached €12.8 billion during the first half of 2016 versus €13.15 billion a year earlier. The latest report released by Egypt's commercial service office at Belgium -the headquarters of the European Commission- showed that commercial ties between Egypt and EU witnessed a development during the first half of 2016. According to the report, Egyptian non-petroleum exports to EU states rose by 4 percent in January-June 2016 to €2.35 billion opposed to €2.26 billion at the same period of 2015, making a €90million-increase. Meanwhile, the Egyptian imports from EU states fell during the first half of 2016 by 4 percent to €10.41 billion compared to €10.89 billion during the first half of 2015, the report stated. The newly-appointed Head of Egyptian Commercial Service Office (ECS), Ahmed Antar clarified that the increase in Egyptian exports to EU markets was due to a number of factors notably the leap in exports of some sectors. He added that the sectors whose exports volume hiked during the first six months of 2016 were fertilizers, fruit, vegetables, electric appliances, organic chemicals, and paper products. Antar noted that Netherlands and France were the largest importers of Egyptian non-petroleum products during the first half of 2015 since Egyptian exports to Netherlands jumped 21 percent while its exports to France rose by 20 percent.
