The United States buys $235.6bn more in goods than it sells to the 27 countries that make up the European Union (EU).
That $236bn gap, known as the trade deficit, is something US President Donald Trump wants to reduce.
In an effort to close the gap, on April 2 the US imposed a 20 percent tariff on goods imported from the EU, aimed at reducing European exports to the US and encouraging domestic production.
In addition, the EU faces a 25 percent US tariff on steel, aluminium and cars.
In response, the EU decided to impose retaliatory tariffs on $23.8bn worth of US goods, with EU officials describing the US tariffs as “unjustified and damaging”.
What does the US sell to the EU?
In 2024, trade between the US and EU reached nearly $1 trillion, making the EU the biggest trading partner bloc for the US.
The US mainly exports fuels, pharmaceutical products, machinery and aircraft to the EU, according to the US International Trade Commission.
In 2024, the US sold $370.2bn worth of goods to the EU. The main exports include:
- Mineral fuels ($78.9bn) accounting for 21.3 percent of total exports.
- Pharmaceutical products ($39.4bn) accounting for 10.6 percent of exports.
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances ($36.6bn) accounting for 9.9 percent of exports.
- Aircraft, spacecraft and parts ($35.1bn) accounting for 9.5 percent of exports.
- Optical, photographic and cinematographic equipment ($30.8bn) accounting for 8.3 percent of total exports.
What does the US buy from the EU?
The US mainly buys pharmaceutical products from the EU, as well as mechanical appliances, cars and other non-railway vehicles.
In 2024, the US bought $605.8bn worth of goods from the EU. The main imports include:
- Pharmaceutical products ($127bn) accounting for 21 percent of total imports.
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances ($89.8bn) accounting for 14.8 percent of imports.
- Cars and other non-railway vehicles ($60.3bn) accounting for 10 percent of imports.
- Electrical equipment ($39.3bn) acounting for 6.5 percent of imports.
- Optical, photographic and cinematographic equipment ($36.9bn) accounting for 6.1 percent of total imports.
Which US states import and export the most to the EU?
According to the US International Trade Administration, the midwestern state of Indiana buys the most of any other state from the EU. It bought $49.3bn worth of goods in 2024.
New Jersey imported the second-most goods from the EU, valued at $40.9bn, followed by North Carolina, which bought $39.6bn.
Texas leads the US in exports to the EU, selling $81.5bn worth of goods in 2024. California ranks second, with $28bn in sales, followed by Louisiana at $20.8bn.
Explore the table below to see which states import and export the most to and from the EU.
What does each US state sell most to the EU?
Aerospace products and parts are the top exports from the US to the EU, with 15 states reporting this category as their primary export. These states include Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Washington.
Aerospace products consist of complete aircraft and aircraft parts, with the US specifically exporting Boeing commercial aircraft and Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets to the EU.
What does each US state buy most from the EU?
Pharmaceuticals and medicines are the leading import for 11 US states, including Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Motor vehicles and vehicle parts rank second, being the top import for eight states: Alabama, California, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), the US is the second-largest market for new EU vehicle exports after the UK, where the US accounted for 22 percent of the EU’s vehicle export market in 2024.
The Center for Automotive Research found that the Detroit Three automakers – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) – will see an average cost of the tariff per vehicle for imported vehicle parts of $4,911, higher than the overall industry’s average of $4,239 per vehicle.
