High technology exports from Catalonia increased by 6.1% in 2014

Barcelona (ACN).- Catalonia exported €56.87 billion worth of industrial products last year, which represents a 3.5% increase on 2013 figures, according to data released on Wednesday by the Catalan Statistics Institute (Idescat). The exports of high-technology products reached €5.58 billion, a 6.1% growth on figures from the previous year. These were also the type of product which experienced the greatest increase in exports during 2014, mostly thanks to sales from outside the European Union, which increased by 10.9%. Such an important boost also meant that sales outside the EU were larger than exports to other European Union Member States.

The international sales of medium-high range products reached €28.27 billion, a 2.8% growth on 2013 figures. Such figures are the result of increasing sales of this type of products within the EU (+6.5%), since the export to the rest of the world decreased (-3.9%).

Regarding the type of products sold, the highest growth in the volume of exports corresponds to electronic components and devices, machinery and vehicles (4.7%). Exports of chemical products registered a moderate increase of 0.7%. Moreover, the exports of other types of products has decreased in general terms.

The exports of medium-low range industrial products reached €7.88 billion, which represents a 1.5% sales increase. Exports of these to the EU grew by 8.7%, while those exported to the rest of the world dropped by 9.6%.

Finally, the international sales of low-technology industrial product accounted for €15.17 billion, which represents a 4.9% increase in annual terms. The international sales of this type of products grew everywhere, with a 5.9% increase in the EU and a 2.8% growth in the rest of the world.