Catalonia’s high-tech second-term exports up 20% on last year

There has however been a decrease in mid-high-tech electrical equipment, machinery and vehicles

5G drones in the Catalonia stand of the 2019 Mobile World Congress, on February 25, 2019 (by Mar Vila)
5G drones in the Catalonia stand of the 2019 Mobile World Congress, on February 25, 2019 (by Mar Vila) / Lorcan Doherty

Lorcan Doherty | Barcelona

September 12, 2019 01:09 PM

Catalan high-tech exports increased by 20.5% on last year for the second term of 2019, according to the Catalan statistics institute. 

Around €2.16 billion worth of high-tech products were exported from Catalonia.

Pharmaceutical products have also increased by 21.5%, and exports to the European Union have grown 26.5%.

Low and mid-tech products

All levels of industrial product exports have increased with the exception of mid-high-tech equipment, which has fallen by 2.2%, in large due to a 4% drop in electrical equipment, machinery and vehicles. 

The sales figures of these products have marked a decrease for the fourth consecutive month, and, while sales to the EU have remained stable, sales to the rest of the world have seen a 7.1% drop. 

Low-mid-tech products have also seen an increase, reaching nearly €2.9 billion worth of exports, 13.2% higher than this time last year. This is due to a strong increase in exports to the European Union of 20.6%, which has countered a slight decrease to the rest of the world of 1.7%. 

Plastic materials, metallic products and mineral products are among those to have decreased slightly, all other low-mid-tech product exports have increased by 76.9%.

Low-tech products were measured at €4.7 billion worth of exports, with exports to the EU (4.9%) and the rest of the world (12.3%) both seeing an increase. 

Increase in imports 

Technological product imports have also seen an increase. Most notably, high-tech imports have seen a 16.9% increase compared to this period in 2018. 

Imports from the European Union have seen a significant increase, measured at 31.7% higher than this term last year, while imports to the rest of the world have seen a small 1.7% decrease. 



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