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Goods and Services

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Trade balance of -€5.3bn in Q2 2019

Ireland’s trade balance at -€5.3bn, all goods and services exports less all goods and services imports, decreased by €33.1bn in the second quarter of 2019, over the same period in 2018 due to increased research and development (R&D) related intellectual property (IP) imports.

Goodsof which International Trade
Q1 201747.90132.172
Q2 201747.32331.066
Q3 201748.97728.974
Q4 201753.62330.535
Q1 201851.3933.837
Q2 201853.69835.564
Q3 201853.77334.09
Q4 201857.44637.135
Q1 201957.14538.018
Q2 201954.97138.562

Merchandise exports were €55bn in the second quarter of 2019, an increase of €1.3bn compared with the second quarter of 2018.

Goodsof which International Trade
Q1 201722.71420.389
Q2 201722.77721.086
Q3 201720.31418.005
Q4 201722.921.03
Q1 201822.33119.49
Q2 201824.89421.245
Q3 201825.55322.304
Q4 201830.56825.572
Q1 201924.99419.803
Q2 201926.81421.313

Merchandise imports were €26.8bn in the second quarter of 2019, an increase of €1.9bn compared with the same period in 2018.

Q2 2019Q2 2018
Computer Services27.17320.295
Business Services11.1588.799
Financial Services3.8963.819
Royalties/Licences2.563.299
Insurance2.4572.433
Transport2.1342.112
Tourism and Travel1.5361.5
Other Services n.e.s1.1760.877
Repairs and Processing0.4980.463
Communications0.0880.107

Service exports, at €52.7bn, increased by €9bn compared to the second quarter of 2018, mainly due to higher computer services exports. 

Q2 2019Q2 2018
Business Services54.76916.725
Royalties/Licences20.59117.94
Financial Services3.3443.202
Insurance2.0452.027
Tourism and Travel1.8311.566
Repairs and Processing1.3051.093
Computer Services1.0831.09
Transport0.8110.733
Other Services n.e.s0.1860.171
Communications0.1260.139

Service imports, at €86.1bn, were up €41.4bn over the same period in 2018. This significant increase was predominantly affected by elevated R&D related intellectual property imports.

Royalties/Licences Exportsof which Pharmaceuticalof which Information and Communication
Q1 20171.5440.0460.177
Q2 20171.73600
Q3 20172.9480.2580
Q4 20172.87201.069
Q1 20182.540.0321.111
Q2 20183.2990.0161.407
Q3 20183.0250.0181.01
Q4 20182.9130.0180.607
Q1 20192.040.0170.355
Q2 20192.560.0140.468

Please note: In Q2 2017 and Q4 2017, the figures for royalties/licences of which pharmaceutical have been suppressed due to confidentiality requirements, and in addition in Q2 2017 and Q3 2017 the figures for royalties/licences of which information and communication have been suppressed due to confidentiality requirements.

Royalties/Licences Exportsof which Pharmaceuticalof which Information and Communication
Q1 201716.7595.1987.788
Q2 201716.7435.38.215
Q3 201715.2914.2277.652
Q4 201717.8694.16310.05
Q1 201816.4583.5458.858
Q2 201817.944.1529.768
Q3 201818.0763.65610.234
Q4 201819.7064.01611.748
Q1 201918.7983.87711.105
Q2 201920.5915.19511.671

Royalties/licences imports were €20.6bn in the second quarter of 2019, an increase of €2.7bn compared with the same period in 2018.

Table 2.1 Breakdown of Merchandise Exports and Imports

Table 2.2 Breakdown of Services Exports and Imports


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