Exports of services totaled €12.5 billion and imports €9.5 billion at current prices in 2024, while the balance of foreign trade in services was in surplus by €2.9 billion, €333 million more than it was in 2023.

Jane Leppmets, foreign trade analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that foreign trade in services continues to grow steadily and reached a record level in 2024.
She said: "Exports of services were most affected by an increase in sales of telecommunications, computer and information services (up by €459 million) and imports by a rise in purchases of travel services (up by €134 million)."

"Other business services, transport services, and telecommunications, computer and information services accounted for the largest shares," Leppmets went on.

"The top partner countries for exports last year were Finland (15 percent of Estonia's total exports), the United States (8 percent) and Germany (8 percent). The main partners for imports of services were Germany (8 percent of total imports), Finland (7 percent) and Lithuania (7 percent)," Leppmets noted.

In the fourth quarter of 2024 (Q4 2024) alone, the exports of services increased by 6 percent to €3.3 billion; imports by 7 percent, to €2.5 billion.

The balance of foreign trade in services was in surplus by €731 million, €13 million more than a year earlier.

Exports

The top services exported in Q4 were other business services (including other business support services, advertising and management services) to a total of €1.02 billion.

This was followed by exports of telecommunications, computer and information services at €879 million, and exports of transport services at €648 million.
Compared with Q4 2023, the largest rise was seen in the exports of telecommunications, computer and information services (which went up by €92 million) and other business services (up by €62 million).

The biggest drop was seen in the exports of construction services – down by €16 million.

As for trading partners in the fourth quarter, the top partner countries for Estonia's exports of services in the fourth quarter were Finland (15 percent of total exports), Germany and the U.S. (8 percent each).

The main services supplied to Finland were travel services.

Transport services were the most exported service to Germany, and telecommunications, computer, and information services were the biggest export to the U.S.

The biggest rise was recorded in exports to the U.K., up by €45 million (a rise of 27 percent), driven by telecommunications, computer, and information services.

The biggest fall was seen in exports to Sweden, down by €31 million (14 percent), with decreased sales of telecommunications, computer and information services, and transport services.

Imports

The most imported services in Q4 2024 were other business services to a total of €851 million, followed by transport services at €655 million, and telecommunications, computer and information services at €521 million.

In comparison with Q4 2023, the largest rise was seen in the imports of other business services (which went up by €70 million). Purchases of construction services decreased the most (down by €12 million).

The top partner countries for Estonia's imports of services were Lithuania (8 percent of total imports), Germany (7 percent), Finland (7 percent), and the U.K. (7 percent).

The main services purchased were other business services from Lithuania and the U.K., and transport services from Germany and Finland.
The greatest rise was recorded in imports from Luxembourg, up by €37 million (more than two times).

Imports from the U.K. rose by €34 million (25 percent) due to increased purchases of other business services.

The biggest decline occurred in imports from the UAE, down by €22 million (31 percent).

This drop was due to fewer transport services being purchased.