Poland’s foreign trade started 2026 with moderate growth in both exports and imports, accompanied by a clear improvement in the balance of goods trade. According to Statistics Poland data for January–March 2026, Polish exports of goods reached PLN 394.1 billion, an increase of 2.2% year on year. Imports stood at PLN 395.2 billion, up 1.0% compared with the same period of the previous year.
As a result, the goods trade deficit amounted to only PLN 1.2 billion. This represents a clear improvement compared with the first quarter of 2025, when the deficit stood at PLN 4.2 billion. The data suggest that in the first months of the year, the Polish economy increased foreign sales faster than foreign purchases.
Exports and imports up, but the trade balance almost even
In zloty terms, export growth was more than twice as fast as import growth. Exports rose by 2.2% year on year, while imports increased by 1.0%. Although the nominal value of imports was still slightly higher than exports, the difference between the two was small.
In euro terms, exports amounted to EUR 93.3 billion, while imports reached EUR 93.6 billion. Growth in the European currency was similar to the figures expressed in zlotys: exports increased by 2.2%, and imports by 0.9%.
Much stronger growth was visible in dollar terms. Exports measured in US dollars reached USD 109.9 billion and increased by 15.1% year on year, while imports amounted to USD 110.3 billion, up 13.7%. Such a large difference between the growth rates in dollars and in zlotys was primarily the result of exchange-rate effects, rather than an equally strong real increase in trade volumes.
The European Union remains the main destination for Polish exports
Developed countries remain the most important market for Polish exporters, accounting for 87.4% of total exports. Within this group, the European Union played a key role, receiving 75.2% of Polish exports. The EU’s share increased by 0.3 percentage points compared with the first quarter of 2025.
Imports from developed countries accounted for 66.0% of total imports, including 53.3% from the European Union. Poland recorded a very high surplus in trade with developed countries, amounting to PLN 83.4 billion. The result was even stronger in trade with the EU alone, where the surplus reached PLN 85.7 billion.
The opposite situation can be seen in trade with developing countries. Exports to this group amounted to PLN 31.0 billion, while imports reached as much as PLN 129.0 billion. This translated into a deficit of PLN 98.0 billion. Such a deep imbalance was largely driven by substantial imports from China.
Germany remains Poland’s most important trading partner
Germany continued to be Poland’s most important trading partner by a wide margin. In the first quarter of 2026, exports to Germany amounted to PLN 105.0 billion, representing 26.6% of total Polish exports. However, Germany’s share was 0.6 percentage points lower than a year earlier, which may indicate a gradual, although very slow, reduction in export concentration on a single market.
The next largest destinations for Polish goods were Czechia, with exports worth PLN 26.0 billion; France, with PLN 25.1 billion; the United Kingdom, with PLN 20.4 billion; the Netherlands, with PLN 18.6 billion; and Italy, with PLN 18.0 billion.
Ukraine also ranked among Poland’s top ten export destinations. Exports to Ukraine rose by 13.3% year on year and reached PLN 14.8 billion. This was one of the most visible increases among Poland’s main trading partners. The data confirm that Ukraine remains an important and growing market for Polish companies, while Poland is strengthening its role as a logistics and trade hub for the Ukrainian economy.
China and the United States are strong on the import side
On the import side, measured by country of origin, Germany was also Poland’s largest partner. Imports from Germany amounted to PLN 76.5 billion and increased by 1.9% year on year. China ranked second, with imports worth PLN 62.5 billion, accounting for 15.8% of total imports.
The United States was Poland’s third-largest source of imports. Imports from the US reached PLN 22.3 billion and rose by 10.2% year on year. At the same time, Polish exports to the US fell by 11.0% to PLN 11.9 billion. This is one of the more notable signals in the Statistics Poland data, as it points to a deterioration in Poland’s trade balance with the United States.
The top ten countries of origin for imports also included Italy, the Netherlands, France, Czechia, Spain, Denmark and Norway. Imports from Norway grew particularly strongly, by 37.7% year on year, which may be linked, among other factors, to energy commodities and changes in the structure of supply.
Imports from Central and Eastern Europe declined sharply
Statistics Poland data also show a clear decline in imports from Central and Eastern European countries. Imports from this group amounted to PLN 5.2 billion and were roughly one quarter lower than a year earlier. The import growth index stood at 75.1%, which means a 24.9% year-on-year decline.
At the same time, exports to Central and Eastern European countries increased by 9.5% and reached PLN 18.7 billion. The trade balance with this group of countries was positive, at PLN 13.5 billion. The fall in imports may be associated with ongoing sanctions, reduced economic relations with Russia and Belarus, and the continued redirection of supply chains.
Machinery, equipment and transport dominate the structure of trade
Machinery, equipment and transport equipment remained the largest category in Poland’s foreign trade. In the first quarter of 2026, they accounted for 37.2% of exports and 36.5% of imports. This shows that Polish trade remains strongly linked to industry, the production of parts and components, vehicles, machinery and equipment used in European supply chains.
On the export side, other important categories included miscellaneous manufactured articles, manufactured goods classified chiefly by material, food and live animals, as well as chemicals and related products. On the import side, in addition to machinery and equipment, chemicals, miscellaneous manufactured articles, manufactured goods classified chiefly by material, food and mineral fuels also had significant shares.
The strongest export growth was recorded in commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere, where the increase reached 81.7%. Exports also rose in manufactured goods classified chiefly by material, mineral fuels, beverages and tobacco, food, chemicals, and machinery and transport equipment. Declines were recorded, among others, in crude materials excluding fuels, as well as oils, fats and waxes.
Three key conclusions from the Statistics Poland data
The first important conclusion concerns the improvement in the trade balance. Poland still recorded a small deficit in goods trade, but its scale was much lower than a year earlier. With exports and imports both close to PLN 400 billion, a difference of PLN 1.2 billion means an almost balanced position.
The second conclusion concerns the importance of the European Union. Despite the growing role of Ukraine, the United States, China and other non-European markets, Polish foreign trade remains deeply rooted in the EU economy. The EU is both the main destination for Polish goods and the source of more than half of Poland’s imports.
The third conclusion concerns the differences between trading partners. Poland maintains a high surplus in trade with developed countries and the European Union, while at the same time recording a deep deficit with developing countries, mainly due to imports from China. This means that the geographical structure of trade remains one of the key factors shaping the overall balance of goods trade.
Foreign trade remains a stable pillar of the Polish economy
Data for the first quarter of 2026 show that Polish foreign trade remains resilient despite a volatile international environment. Exports are growing faster than imports, the deficit is small, and Polish companies continue to hold a strong position in the EU market.
At the same time, several areas require close monitoring. These include the decline in exports to the United States, the large deficit in trade with developing countries, high import dependence on China, and the impact of exchange rates on the value of trade expressed in US dollars.
Overall, the first quarter of 2026 can be seen as moderately positive for Polish foreign trade. It was not a period of spectacular growth, but the data point to an improving balance, stable main export destinations and Poland’s continued strong position in European supply chains.
