Imports of services grew by 5.9% year-on-year in euro terms to EUR 3.717 bln in Q2, while exports of services rose 2.6% to EUR 5.598 bln.

The surplus in tourism reached EUR 809 million in Q2, while the surplus in transport services was EUR 664 mln. Fees related to work on contract generated a EUR 291 mln surplus, while the surplus in business services was EUR 119 mln. The surplus in government services was EUR 7 mln. Of the main branches of the sector, only transport and government services registered an increasing surplus.

Tourism exports rose by 6.4% to EUR 1.348 bln, while imports were up 18.1% at EUR 539 mln.

The export of transport services reached EUR 1.52 bln, rising 7.8%, while imports increased 6.3% to EUR 856 mln.

Business services exports edged down 1% to EUR 2.251 bln, while imports were up a slight 1.6% to EUR 2.132 bln.

Imports of services from EU countries reached EUR 2.781 bln in April-June 2017, while exports totaled EUR 4.031 bln, growing at above-average rates of an annual 6.3% and 5.3%, respectively. Trade with the EU generated two thirds of the Q2 surplus on services.

In the first half of 2017, the trade in services generated a surplus of EUR 3.486 bln, slightly up from EUR 3.316 bln in H1 2016.