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TRADE

Sweden’s 2013 exports figures take a dip

Swedish exports decreased seven percent in the past year, yet trade was comparatively buoyant in the last quarter of 2013 compared to the months prior.

Sweden's 2013 exports figures take a dip
Cranes in Gothenburg harbour. File photo: Adam Ihse/TT

The value of Swedish exports amounted to 1.09 billion kronor ($167 million) in 2013, new trade figures published by Statistics Sweden (Statistiska centralbyrån – SCB) showed on Thursday. 

"During the fourth quarter, Swedish exports of goods decreased by three percent compared to the same period of the previous year," the state agency said in a statement. "Both exports and imports developed stronger during the fourth quarter compared to the earlier quarters of 2013."

Swedish trade with other EU member states fell by six percent, while exports to euro zone countries fell by four percent. Exports to the UK fell by 21 percent, while exports to Germany and Denmark decreased by five and two percent respectively.

Trade with China, however, saw an export increase of five percent, while imports from China fell by two percent.

In 2013, the agency summarized, there was a "net trade surplus of 51 billion kronor ($7.8 billion). The net trade surplus in 2012 was 59 billion."

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TRADE

Norway and UK strike post-Brexit trade deal

Norway and the United Kingdom have struck an agreement on a free trade deal, the Norwegian government announced on Friday.

Norway and UK strike post-Brexit trade deal
Erna Solberg outside 10 Downing Street in 2019. (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN / POOL / AFP)

Negotiations over the agreement have been ongoing since last summer, and the Norwegian government said that the deal is the largest free trade agreement Norway has entered into, outside of the EEA agreement. 

“The agreement entails a continuation of all previous tariff preferences for seafood and improved market access for white fish, shrimp, and several other products,” the Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement.  

One of the sticking points of the negotiations was Norway wanting more access to sell seafood in the UK, while the UK wanted more access to sell agricultural products like cheese.

The latter was a problem due to Norway having import protection against agricultural goods. 

“This agreement secures Norwegian jobs and value creation and marks an important step forward in our relationship with the UK after Brexit. This is a long-term agreement, which at the same time helps to accelerate the Norwegian economy,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg said in a statement.  

 The United Kingdom is Norway’s second most important single market, after the EU. In 2020 Norwegian companies exported goods worth 135 billion kroner to the UK and imported around 42 billion kroner of goods from the UK. 

Norway has given Britain 26 quotas on agricultural products, but not for mutton and beef. The agreement does not increase the UK’s cheese quotas, state broadcaster NRK have reported. 

The agreement will still need to be signed by both the Norwegian and UK parliament. 

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