EU Beef Trade Balance Remains Positive Despite Decreasing Exports

Strategic Insights -

The European Union has maintained a positive trade balance for beef and live animals, with exports exceeding imports by a significant margin. According to European statistics, the trade balance for beef and live animals has been positive since the beginning of 2025, with a significant portion of the EU's beef exports being directed to countries outside of Ukraine. The positive trade balance is largely due to the EU's robust internal and external demand for beef, which has sustained prices at historical high levels. This demand is expected to continue, with the EU's producer prices remaining at record highs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The EU has been a net exporter of beef and live animals since the beginning of 2025, with a positive trade balance of over EUR 2.2 billion.
  • EU bovine imports in 2024 totaled EUR 2.6 billion, while exports reached EUR 4.9 billion.
  • The decrease in EU exports is primarily due to a shortage of bovine animals and the resulting decline in production.
  • Prices for beef are being sustained by robust internal and external demand.
  • The EU's producer prices for beef remain at historical high levels.
  • EU imports of live bovine animals and beef meat from Ukraine amount to zero in 2025, according to European statistics.
  • The trade balance for beef and live animals is not expected to change significantly in the near future.
  • Ukrainian exports of live bovine animals and beef products are mainly destined for markets outside of the EU.

Statistics:

  • EU bovine imports in 2024 totaled EUR 2.6 billion.
  • EU exports of beef and live animals in 2024 reached EUR 4.9 billion.
  • The positive trade balance for beef and live animals in the EU has been in excess of EUR 2.2 billion since the beginning of 2025.
  • The EU's producer price for beef remains at a historical high level.
  • EU imports of live bovine animals and beef meat from Ukraine in 2025 are zero.
  • Ukrainian exports of live bovine animals and beef products are mostly directed to markets outside of the EU.

Sources:

  • [1] European statistics on international trade in goods, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/bookmark/f48a373f-a225-421b-b82b-4ec363f8ed42?lang=en&createdAt=2025-09-23T13:36:07Z
  • [2] COM (2025) 450 final, 28.07.2025, Last updated: 15 October 2025