The euro served as the primary currency for extra-EU imports of primary goods, excluding petroleum, during the year 2025, according to a report from Eurostat.
This leading position was marked by a 47.4 per cent share of the market, placing the single currency just ahead of the US dollar, which accounted for 45.0 per cent.
Currencies belonging to EU member states that have not adopted the euro represented 1.7 per cent of these imports, while all other international currencies made up the remaining 5.3 per cent.
In contrast, the US dollar maintained a dominant standing as the main currency utilized for the importation of petroleum products, commanding a significant 86.7 per cent share in 2025.
The euro trailed far behind in the petroleum sector, representing only 12.9 per cent of the total import value.
Other currencies from within the European Union and various non-EU currencies played a negligible role in petroleum imports, accounting for 0.2 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively.
When examining manufactured goods, the US dollar was also identified as the leading currency for imports at 46.2 per cent.
The euro followed closely behind in the manufacturing import segment with a share of 43.3 per cent.
For these specific goods, other EU currencies stood at 1.7 per cent, while non-EU currencies held a more substantial 8.5 per cent share.
The data further showed that the euro was the most utilized currency for extra-EU exports of primary goods, reaching a 62.2 per cent share.
This figure placed the euro well ahead of the US dollar, which recorded a 22.9 per cent share for such exports.
Other domestic EU currencies contributed 2.5 per cent, while non-EU currencies accounted for 12.1 per cent of the export total for primary commodities.
The US dollar remained the most used currency for petroleum exports at 70.1 per cent, though it appeared somewhat less dominant in this category compared to its role in imports.
In the export of these energy products, the euro managed to capture a share of slightly more than a quarter, finishing the year at 27.5 per cent.
Regarding the export of manufactured goods, the share of the euro was recorded at 50.4 per cent.
The US dollar held a 32.4 per cent share in the manufactured export market, while other EU currencies represented 1.8 per cent.
Finally, non-EU currencies made up 15.2 per cent of the total currency usage for the export of manufactured items from the bloc.
