International trade in goods (change of ownership) - July 2026
The July trade deficit increased year-on-year
Publication Date: 07. 09. 2026
Product Code: 241018-26
The total balance of international trade1) in goods2) was favourably influenced mainly by y−o−y better trade balance in 'fabricated metal products' by CZK 4.0 bn y-o-y, higher trade surplus in ’electricity’ by CZK 2.4 bn and in ‘motor vehicles’ by CZK 1.7 bn.
The total balance was affected negatively mainly by deepening of the trade deficit in 'computer, electronic and optical products' by CZK 6.7 bn, in ‘crude petroleum and natural gas’ by CZK 3.7 bn and worse trade balance in 'electrical equipment' by CZK 2.8 bn.
In July 2026, the positive trade balance with EU Member States increased by CZK 13.4 bn, y−o−y. The trade deficit with non-EU countries deepened by CZK 18.2 bn.
Y-o-y exports increased by 3.9% to CZK 390.2 bn and y-o-y imports by 5.2% to CZK 398.7 bn. July 2026 had one less working day than July 2025.
“For the fourth consecutive year, July was the first month in which the trade balance turned negative. This year's July deficit was driven mainly by a y-o-y increase in the import value of computers, electronic and optical products, as well as electrical equipment,” says Miluše Kavěnová, Head of the Trade Balance Unit of the Czech Statistical Office.
Month-on-month, the seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 2.3%, imports by 3.1%.
From January to July 2026, the trade balance reached a surplus of CZK 94.0 bn representing a y−o−y decrease of CZK 32.3 bn. Since the beginning of the year, exports have risen by 2.8% and imports by 4.1%.
The CZSO has carried out the regular annual update. Final 2025 data on international trade in goods says, that y−o−y exports grew by 2.3% to CZK 4 771.2 bn and imports rose by 2.9% to CZK 4 570.9 bn. Balance of international trade in goods for the year 2025 ended in a surplus of CZK 200.2 bn which was by CZK 20.3 bn lower than in 2024.
1) The international trade balance is the difference between exports from the Czech Republic and imports to the Czech Republic.
Notes
Methodological note:
From 2020 onwards, data for International trade in goods (change of ownership) are subject to recalculation using an updated method, based on a higher level of detail. See Update of the compilation method – International trade in goods (change of ownership).
Since March 2022, in accordance with the methodology of Eurostat, selected data for exports and imports of military equipment and weapons are for safety reasons included in other goods codes and another territorial structure so that the macroeconomic aggregate of international trade in goods is not influenced.
Notes:
Data for companies, which are subject to the reporting duty and which failed to report data (non-response), has been imputed according to exports and imports these companies reported in the previous period. Data for companies exempted from the reporting duty were estimated on the basis of the data given in the VAT return forms. The data, which were not available from the VAT return forms, are estimated on the basis of the values for previous periods.
Data for respective months of 2025 and 2026 is preliminary; data up to and including year 2024 is final. When data for the reference month is published, six previous months are updated. All months with preliminary data are updated when data for January, March and July is published. Final data is published always in September of the following year.
Responsible head at the CZSO: Miluše Kavěnová, Director of International Trade Statistics Department, phone number (+420) 274 054 176, e-mail: miluse.kavenova@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: Zdeněk Skalák, Head of Trade Balance Unit, phone number (+420) 704 659 392, e-mail: zdenek.skalak@csu.gov.cz
Method of data collection: Intrastat forms and single administrative documents and value added tax return forms
End of data collection: 20th working day after the end of the reference month
Following data sets: https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/vzonu_ts
242002-26 External Trade of the Czech Republic
Next News Release will be published on: October 7, 2026
This press release was not edited for language.