SMEs: Fewer exports of goods in 2023, but more imports
In 2023, around 97% of all exporters in Germany were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). At €277 billion, their export turnover this year was slightly lower than in 2022 (€290 billion). In contrast, imports of goods by SMEs continued to rise.
Among the 267,000 companies in Germany that exported goods in 2023, 258,000 were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Their exports generated a turnover of € 277 billion – around € 13 billion less than in 2022. Approximately 62.9 % of all SME goods exports were destined for the EU.
Micro enterprises (with fewer than 10 employees) and small and medium-sized enterprises exported significantly more goods to the EU single market than to non-EU countries, as indicated by their respective export ratios. In contrast, large companies exported to both regions in roughly equal measure.
The import participation of SMEs is increasing
98.4% of all goods importers (851,000) were SMEs. Their number has been increasing for years. However, the value of imports in 2023 (€ 334 billion) declined compared to the previous year (€ 380 billion, both nominally). As with exports, the EU single market also dominated imports in terms of import value, accounting for 69.8% of the total. This applies across all company size categories. Additionally, it is noteworthy that medium-sized and large companies import approximately the same amount of goods based on the import quota.
The researchers at IfM Bonn analyse data from Eurostat's "International trade in goods – trade by enterprise characteristics (TEC)" statistics as the basis for their SME statistics on international activities since 2025. The detailed data is available on the Institut für Mittelstandsforschung website (www.ifm-bonn.org).
Weitere Informationen:
https://www.ifm-bonn.org/en/statistics/mittelstand-themes/auslandsaktivitaeten
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