International trade in goods (change of ownership) - September 2026
Imports grew faster than exports in September
Publication Date: 06. 11. 2026
Product Code: 241018-26
The total balance of international trade1) in goods2) was affected negatively mainly by deepening of the trade deficit in 'crude petroleum and natural gas’ by CZK 6.5 bn, in ‘computer, electronic and optical product’ by CZK 3,3 bn and in 'coke and refined petroleum products' by CZK 3.1 bn.
The total balance was favourably influenced especially by y−o−y better trade balance in 'electricity' by 4.8 bn in ’fabricated metal products’ by CZK 4.0 bn and in ‘other transport equipment’ by CZK 3.5 bn.
In September 2026, the positive trade balance with EU Member States increased by CZK 14.9 bn, y−o−y. The trade deficit with non-EU countries deepened by CZK 16.2 bn.
Y-o-y exports increased by 7.8% to CZK 456.8 bn and y-o-y imports by 9.2% to CZK 433.1 bn. September 2026 had one more working day than September 2025.
“After two months, the trade balance returned to a surplus in September. Among all commodity groups, exports and imports of computers and electronics recorded the largest increases," says Zdeněk Skalák, Head of the Trade Balance Unit of the Czech Statistical Office.
Month-on-month, the seasonally adjusted exports increased by 1.5%, imports by 1.1%.
From January to September 2026, the trade balance reached a surplus of CZK 101.9 bn representing a y−o−y decrease of CZK 51.8 bn. Since the beginning of the year, exports have risen by 3.9% and imports by 5.6%.
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).
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Notes:
1) The international trade balance is the difference between exports from the Czech Republic and imports to the Czech Republic.
2) The international trade in goods (change of ownership) reflects export and import performance of the Czech economy, i.e. the international trade balance of the Czech Republic as well. It measures real trade in goods carried out between Czech entities and foreign ones, i.e. the change of ownership between residents and non-residents.
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 2026 is preliminary; data up to and including year 2025 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,
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
Following data sets: https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/vzonu_ts
This press release was not edited for language.