Page 65 - economic report 2019

The largest export group is still, since 2003,
machinery and electrical equipment, which ANDORRA’S MAIN EXPORT SECTORS. Chart 7.8
saw an increase of 6.3%. This branch has seen 2019 - Interannual variation rate (%)
five consecutive years of increases, bringing
its percentage of the total to a significant
34.1%. By chapters, this growth can be
explained by both the increase in machines
and electrical apparatus (6.1%) – the most
important chapter in the group with 26.4% of
total foreign sales – and growth in exports of
mechanical apparatus (7.0%).

Holding second place in the exports ranks is
still transport material, which saw a strong
downturn in 2019, of 16.3%, for the second
consecutive year, after a five-year period of
expansion. So, transport material’s share of
total foreign sales fell from 18% in 2018 to
15% in 2019. The chapter that determines this Total (1.4%)
behaviour is motor vehicles, representing 14% Source: Department of Tax and Frontiers.
of total exports, which saw a decline of 18.2%.

The behaviour of foreign sales of optical, photographic and precision apparatus, the third largest
export chapter, was also negative, with a decline of 7.7%. As a result, their share of the total fell
to 12.9%. By chapters, the trend was negative in both the segment of optical and photographic 63
products (-6.9%) – the most important chapter in the group, with 9.5% of total exports – and
clocks and watches (-4.6%) – much less important, with only 3.1% of the total.

Exports from the sectors of textiles and In fourth place in the ranks by volume of exports
graphic arts grew significantly in 2019. in 2019 is the group of textiles, with 7.4% of
the total and year-on-year growth of 12.1%,
continuing the upward trend of the previous
two years. Within this group were notable contributions from the chapter of articles of apparel and
clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted – the most important chapter in the group with 4.7%
of total exports – which grew 11.7%, and the chapter of articles of apparel and clothing accessories,
knitted or crocheted, which grew 45.2% but only represents 1.4% of the total.

The trend in the group of paper and graphic arts was quite favourable, with export growth of
20.3%. As a result, its share of the total rose to 6.7% and it reached fifth place by volume of
exports. The most important subgroups are paper and cardboard (4.1% of the total) and products
of the printing or graphic industries (2.1% of the total). In 2019, both saw a fairly positive trend.

The next most important sector is pearls, precious stones and metals, one of the groups that
shrank most in 2019 (-10.6%), following the trend of the previous year, after quadrupling foreign The Andorran economy: general developments | VII. The foreign sector
sales figures between 2014 and 2017. As a result of this negative trend, its proportion fell to
5.8%. This decline in exports was accompanied by a similarly important fall in imports, probably
due to falling re-exports of these products.

The other groups represent proportions of less than 5% of total exports. Base metals stand out,
representing 3.3% of total sales abroad and seeing a decline of almost 25% in 2019. Next are the
groups: products of the chemical industries with 3.2% of the total and an increase of 6.6%, and
footwear, headwear, umbrellas, etc. with 3.1% of the total and an increase of 22.2%.