The surplus of the external trade in services in the 1st quarter was EUR 2.5 billion
Service exports calculated in EUR increased by 4.5%, imports by 4.8% in the 1st quarter of 2026 compared to the same period of the previous year. The surplus reached EUR 2.5 billion, EUR 94 million higher than in the 1st quarter of 2025. The export value decreased by 13%, that of import by 8.9%, generating an EUR 685 million balance decrease compared to the previous quarter.
In the 1st quarter of 2026:
The value of exports amounted to EUR 8.8 billion (HUF 3.4 thousand billion), that of imports to EUR 6.3 billion (HUF 2.4 thousand billion). The surplus of the external trade in services added up to EUR 2.5 billion (HUF 946 billion).
Among service groups, transport services contributed with EUR 713 million, travel services with EUR 659 million, manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others with EUR 581 million to the surplus of the first quarter.
63% of Hungary’s service exports, 72% of its service imports were transacted with EU member states, generating a surplus of EUR 980 million in this relation.
Germany continues to be our primary trading partner in this quarter, too, accounting for 18% of the total turnover. The United States ranked second and Austria third, accounting for 8.7% and 6.8%, respectively, of our total external trade in services.
Of total service exports, business services accounted for 45% (including 23% for other business services), followed by transport services with a 28% share and travel services with a 17% share.
In terms of imports, business services also accounted for a significant share, at 56% (including 26% for other business services), while transport services accounted for 27%, and travel services for 13% of total import turnover.
In the 1st quarter of 2026, year-on-year:
The value of service exports in EUR terms increased by 4.5% (decreasing by 0.9% in HUF terms), that of imports grew by 4.8% (decreasing by 0.6% in HUF terms). The surplus was EUR 94 million higher than in the same period of the previous year, but when converted to HUF, it was HUF 14 billion lower than that figure.
Value of external trade in services, January-March 2026
| Denomination | Export | Import | Balance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value at current prices | Same period of the previous year=100% | Value at current prices | Same period of the previous year=100% | Value at current prices | In the same period of the previous year | |
| Billion HUF | 3 362 | 99.1 | 2 416 | 99.4 | 946 | 960 |
| Million EUR | 8 753 | 104.5 | 6 290 | 104.8 | 2 463 | 2 369 |
Balance improvements of EUR 121 million in travel and EUR 67 million in manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others were the primary drivers behind the increase in surplus, which was offset by EUR 99 million decline in the surplus of business services.
Our surplus with the EU member states grew by EUR 31 million, primarily due to balance improvements with Austria and Denmark of EUR 85 million and 38 million, which were largely offset by EUR 63 million increase in the trade deficit with Ireland.
In the case of non-EU countries, our surplus increased by EUR 63 million. Among the most significant factors underlying the change, balance improvements of EUR 60 million, 44 million and 37 million with the United States, Switzerland and China respectively stand out, which were somewhat offset by EUR 54 million decrease in the surplus recorded for the United Kingdom.