Italian exports up 7.4% in 2017 - ISTAT (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, February 15 - Italian exports increased by 7.4% in value terms and 3.1% in volume terms in 2017 with respect to the previous year, ISTAT said on Thursday. It said exports to other EU countries were up 6.7%, while those to non-EU countries rose 8.2%.
    The national statistics agency said imports were up too last year - 9% in value terms and 2.6% in volume.
    It said Italy's trade surplus was 47.5 billion euros - 81 billion net of energy trade.
    The 7.4% rise in value terms in Italian exports in 2017 is the biggest since the 11.4% increase registered in 2011, ISTAT said. The agency added that the trade surplus of 47.5 billion euros was the second highest since the start of the statistical series in 1991, behind only the 49.6 billion surplus of 2016.