German trade industry raises 2026 export growth forecast to 1%
EWG•Germany’s main trade association raised its 2026 export growth forecast to 1% from 0.6%, citing stronger-than-expected first-half performance. It kept its full-year import growth forecast at 3%.
1. First-half trade figures
German exports totaled around €818 billion in the first half, up 3.9% year over year, while imports rose 4.7% to about €712 billion.
2. Association urges diversification
BGA President Dirk Jandura said foreign trade was stabilising but was still far from a turnaround, pointing to lower exports to the United States and China. He called for diversifying supply chains and markets and improving European companies’ access to China, saying de-risking should not mean decoupling.
