Customs Union sees foreign trade up 33% to $913 bln in 2011
MOSCOW. Feb 29 (Interfax) - The Customs Union (comprising Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan) saw its trade with other countries grow 33% in 2011 to $913 billion, the Eurasian Economic Commission's (EEC) Trade Minister Andrei Slepnev told journalists in Moscow on Wednesday.
Exports amounted to $586 billion last year, and imports totaled $326 billion.
Russia accounted for 83.6% of the Customs Union's foreign trade, Kazakhstan contributed 11.4% and Belarus - 5%. The Customs Union conducted the majority of its trade with the European Union (55%), followed by China (8.9%) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (8.6%). Raw materials made up the lion's share of exports, or 72.6% (up by 2.2 percentage points over last year).
Trade within the Customs Union jumped 36% to $62.3 billion last year, Slepnev said.