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EU-U.S. Trade In 2025: Surpluses, Shifting Flows And Strategic Ties

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

Trade Overview And Robust Growth

In 2025, the European Union exported goods worth €554.0 billion to the United States and imported €354.4 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of €199.6 billion. Exports increased 3.4% year over year, while imports rose 4.8%, reflecting continued strength in transatlantic trade flows.

Fluctuating Quarterly Trends

Trade activity varied across the year. The first quarter recorded strong growth in both exports and imports, supported by higher demand in U.S. markets. The second quarter showed a decline, followed by limited recovery in imports during the third quarter, while exports edged lower. By the fourth quarter, both exports and imports declined, indicating softer momentum toward year-end.

Sectoral Highlights And Product Leadership

According to the Standard International Trade Classification, the five largest product groups accounted for 53.0% of EU exports to the United States. Medicinal and pharmaceutical products led with a 29.0% share, followed by road vehicles (7.5%), general industrial machinery and equipment (5.9%), electrical machinery and parts (5.8%), and power-generating machinery (4.8%).

On the import side, medicinal and pharmaceutical products also ranked first at 17.0%, followed by petroleum and related materials (11.2%), power-generating machinery and equipment (9.4%), natural and manufactured gas (7.9%), and other transport equipment (6.6%).

Foreign Direct Investment And Geopolitical Connectivity

The scale of EU-U.S. trade highlights the strategic importance of the American market for Europe and its broader investment links. Data from the Central Bank of Cyprus show that the United States remained one of Cyprus’ key foreign direct investment partners in 2024, alongside major European economies.

The report notes that while Europe remained Cyprus’ largest FDI partner overall, net FDI stock declined due to a sharper reduction in outward investment, primarily linked to equity instruments and, to a lesser extent, debt instruments.

Special purpose entities continued to influence investment flows, contributing to parallel movements in inward and outward FDI. Despite negative net FDI transactions and income in 2024, inward and outward rates of return improved to 7.8% from 6.7% a year earlier, reinforcing Cyprus’ role as a regional financial services hub.

Cyprus Expected Working Life Reaches 39.5 Years, Above EU Average

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

People in Cyprus are expected to spend 39.5 years in the workforce, around two years longer than the European Union average of 37.5 years, according to the latest Eurostat data for 2025.

The figure places Cyprus among the EU countries with the longest expected working lives.

Cyprus Ranks Above EU Average

Only a handful of member states recorded higher figures than Cyprus. The Netherlands topped the ranking at 44 years, followed by Sweden at 43.4 years, Denmark at 42.6 years, and Estonia at 41.5 years.

At the other end of the ranking were Romania with 32.7 years, Italy with 33.0 years, Bulgaria with 34.6 years and Greece with 35.3 years.

Gender Gap Remains Wider Than EU Average

Men in Cyprus are expected to remain in work for 42.1 years, compared with 36.7 years for women. The gap of 5.4 years exceeds the EU average gender gap of 4.1 years.

Across the bloc, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were the only countries where women were expected to spend longer in employment than men. Finland recorded the smallest positive gender gap at 0.7 years.

Italy posted the widest gap at 8.9 years, followed by Romania at 6.9 years, Greece at 6.7 years and Malta at 6.3 years.

Working Lives Continue To Lengthen

Between 2016 and 2025, expected working life in Cyprus increased by 3.5 years, placing the country among the strongest performers in the EU over the period. Men’s expected working life rose by 3.3 years, while women’s increased by 3.6 years.

Across the EU, every member state recorded an increase. Malta posted the largest gain at 4.9 years, followed by Hungary and Ireland at 4.2 years each, and the Netherlands at 4.1 years.

Malta’s increase was driven largely by women, whose expected working life rose by 7.8 years, the biggest increase recorded across the bloc.

By comparison, Romania, Spain, Italy, Germany and Austria recorded gains of two years or less over the same period.

Women’s Working Lives Increase Faster Across Europe

Women’s expected working life increased faster than men’s in most EU countries. Denmark, Romania, Sweden and Greece were the main exceptions.

In Cyprus, gains for men and women were broadly similar, alongside Bulgaria, Belgium and Slovenia.

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