Germany's exports in 2011 exceeded the historic threshold of 1.000 billion euros in value. The leap was 11,6%, up to 1.060,1 billion euros, according to Destatis. The federal statistics agency, where the value of imported goods stood at 902 billion euros, again a record and up 13,2 percent.
The performance and above all the record of exports have quickly ended up in the foreground of German newspapers today, often with opening titles of the online editions. However, it could be difficult to replicate these values in 2012, with many of the partners in the euro area, Germany's main outlet market, experiencing heavy weakening of the economy, if not recessionary dynamics. After all, the repercussions were already seen in December: exports fell by 4,3 percent compared to the previous month, according to Destatis.
In any case, 2011 closed with a trade surplus of 158,1 billion euros for the leading economy in the euro area, up from 154,9 billion in 2010, which on exports seems to have benefited from the weakening of the euro it was created in parallel with the continuation of the public debt crisis in the area.
