Greek exports showed notable resilience in 2025, holding up despite higher tariffs, ongoing geopolitical tensions and a climate of global uncertainty. While the overall value of exports declined, performance improved once petroleum products were excluded, underscoring the strength of Greece’s non-energy export base.
According to data released by Greece’s statistical authority ELSTAT, total exports fell by 2.8% year on year to €48.6 billion in 2025, down from €50 billion in 2024. This decline was largely driven by a sharp drop in petroleum product exports, which are based on imported raw materials and are highly sensitive to price fluctuations. When petroleum products are excluded, however, Greek exports increased by 2%, reaching €36.91 billion.
Growth was supported by improved performance in six of the country’s nine main export sectors. Food products, Greece’s strongest export category after petroleum products, recorded a particularly strong year, rising by 9.5% to €9.04 billion, up from €8.25 billion in 2024. Exports of industrial products increased by 2.9% to €7.52 billion, while chemical exports grew by 3.7% to €6.3 billion. Exports of various industrial goods rose by 5.1% to €3.84 billion, and raw materials edged up by 0.8%. Beverages and tobacco products also performed strongly, posting a 7.8% increase to €1.49 billion. By contrast, exports of petroleum products fell by 14.9%, exports of oils declined by 3.4%, and exports of so-called confidential products dropped sharply.
Despite global trade frictions, Greek exports did not record a significant loss in the United States in terms of total value, although some individual product categories were affected. Exports to the U.S. slipped marginally by 0.3% to €2.40 billion in 2025, according to the Panhellenic Exporters Association. At the same time, Greek imports from the U.S. rose by 8.3% to €2.34 billion, narrowing Greece’s trade surplus with the U.S. to €60.3 million from €250.7 million a year earlier.
Italy remained Greece’s largest export destination in 2025, although its share declined compared with 2024. Exports to Italy accounted for 9.1% of the total, followed by Germany with 7.8% and Cyprus with 6.8%. Bulgaria ranked fourth with a 6.5% share, while Romania moved into fifth place, replacing the United Kingdom, which fell out of the top five. The United States accounted for 4.9% of Greek exports.
On the import side, total imports amounted to €82.11 billion in 2025, including petroleum products, representing a 4.1% decline compared with the previous year. Excluding petroleum products, imports rose by 2.4%. As a result, Greece’s trade deficit narrowed to €33.51 billion in 2025, down 5.9% year on year.
