Cars, automobile parts and crude oil were among the 20 highest value German import products in 2017.

The most valuable German import products also include medicines, computers, smartphones and aircraft.

The following list shows on which products German importers spent the most money. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.

This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products for which Germany has strong demand but competitive disadvantages compared with other nations — and therefore opportunities for innovation.

For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the link to Germany’s Top 10 Imports article in the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.

Germany is the world’s third-largest importer behind the United States and China but well ahead of the United Kingdom.

Highest Value German Import Products

Below are the 20 highest value import products delivered to German importers in 2017. Shown within brackets is the change in value since 2018.

1. Cars: US$57.7 billion (Up 40.3% from 2013 to 2017)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $41.2 billion (Up 16.3%)
3. Crude oil: $36.2 billion (Down -52.2%)
4. Petroleum gases: $28.2 billion (Down -34.7%)
5. Medication mixes in dosage: $25.9 billion (Up 7.1%)
6. Computers, optical readers: $23 billion (Up 26.9%)
7. Blood fractions (including antisera): $22.5 billion (Up 30.1%)
8. Phone system devices including smartphones: $22.3 billion (Up 15.6%)
9. Processed petroleum oils: $20.4 billion (Down -44.7%)
10. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $17.2 billion (Up 40.9%)
11. Insulated wire/cable: $10.6 billion (Up 10.2%)
12. Aircraft, spacecraft: $9.2 billion (Down -50.2%)
13. Heterocyclics, nucleic acids: $9.1 billion (Up 59.4%)
14. Turbo-jets: $9.1 billion (Down -12.7%)
15. Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays): $8.9 billion (Up 2%)
16. Printing machinery: $8.8 billion (Down -23.4%)
17. Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs): $8.1 billion (Up 7.5%)
18. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $7.7 billion (Up 7.5%)
19. Aircraft parts: $7.7 billion (Down -9.2%)
20. Rubber tires (new): $6.8 billion (Down -12.7%)

Among these product categories, heterocyclics and nucleic acids posted the greatest increase in German import purchases up 59.4% over the 5-year period starting from 2013.

In second place were Germany’s imports of integrated circuits or microassemblies which improved 40.9%.

German imports of cars also showed a respectable 40.3% gain, trailed by a 30.1% uptick for blood fractions including antisera and a 26.9% increase for computers including optical readers.

Leading the decliners was the crude oil subcategory with its -52.2% drop.

See also Germany’s Top 10 Imports, Germany’s Top 10 Major Export Companies, Germany’s Top Trading Partners, Top German Trade Balances and Germany’s Top 10 Exports

 

Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 7, 2018

The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 7, 2018

Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on March 7, 2018