France's Trade Deficit Widens to €6.9 Billion by March Amid Export Challenges

France's trade deficit deepened to €6.864 billion at the end of March 2026, as reported by the French Customs office. This worsening balance follows a revised deficit of €5.506 billion in February, highlighting ongoing economic difficulties in managing trade flows.

In the first quarter of 2026, the overall trade deficit expanded by €2.8 billion, totaling a staggering €14.1 billion. Imports increased by 1.8%, reaching €171.8 billion, largely driven by rising energy product imports. Meanwhile, exports showed almost no growth, rising a mere 0.1% to €157.6 billion.

Particularly concerning is France's trade relationship with the Middle East and Near East regions. Despite maintaining a trade surplus, the balance shrank considerably by €2.7 billion, from €4.4 billion to €1.7 billion over three months. This decline is notably linked to a €2.1 billion drop in exports of aerospace and space construction products, which composed about 45% of exports to these areas in 2025 but fell to 36% by the first quarter of 2026.

These figures expose the fragility of France's export sectors amid shifting demand and underscore the challenge of regaining a favorable trade position, particularly in high-value industries like aerospace.