Dubai's foreign trade volume with the European Union reached Dhs77bn during the first six months of 2012

The value of Dubai's imports from the EU countries reached Dhs61.2bn during the January-June period this year, totaling nearly the same value registered during the first six months of last year, while its exports to the 27-member state union reached Dhs3.7bn during the first six months of 2012 compared with the Dhs3.2bn recorded during the same period in 2011.

The value of re-exports to the EU states stood at Dhs12.3bn during the first six months of this year compared with the Dhs11.3bn achieved during the same period last year, the report revealed.

Dubai's trade exchange with EU states, especially with the eastern Europe countries, continued to achieve record growth rates such as with Estonia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovakia and Poland in which it saw a significant increase of 369%, 332%, 225%,77% and 35% respectively.

Such indicators reflect the openness of the UAE economy to new markets worldwide in overall trade activity, including imports, exports and re-exports.

Dubai's basic imports from the eastern Europe countries were furniture, petroleum oils, tobacco, telecommunication machinery and instruments, sun flower seeds and wires, while its major exports to these countries were polyethylene, cigarettes, raw aluminum, plastic, printing films, glassware, acoustic devices, ceramics, washing & bath basins.

Dubai's major re-exported items to the eastern Europe states were auto-spare parts & accessories, engineering materials used in planning, telecommunication instrument & machines, automobiles and vehicles.