Bulgaria
↔
Romania

Bulgaria-Romania Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $9.69B total volume •Bulgaria surplus: $1.53B

Bulgaria → Romania

$5.61B

Exports (2023)

Romania → Bulgaria

$4.08B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$1.53B

Surplus for Bulgaria

Total Trade

$9.69B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Bulgaria and Romania. Green line shows exports from Bulgaria, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Bulgaria-Romania commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

Bulgaria → Romania Exports

$5.61B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
19.0% top product
1Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas
$1.07B
19.0% of exports
2Electrical energy
$308.58M
5.5% of exports
3Biodiesel and mixtures thereof: not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals
$280.30M
5.0% of exports
4Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils
$230.90M
4.1% of exports
5Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, ammonium nitrate, whether or not in aqueous solution
$119.51M
2.1% of exports
6Glass: carboys, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, phials and other containers of glass, (not ampoules), used for the conveyance or packing of goods
$108.74M
1.9% of exports
7Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
$105.66M
1.9% of exports
8Combine harvester-threshers
$96.38M
1.7% of exports
9Games: operated by coins, banknotes, bank cards, tokens or by other means of payment, other than billiard articles and accesssories, and automatic bowling alley equipment
$92.25M
1.6% of exports
10Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling process or twisted after rolling
$60.49M
1.1% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

Bulgaria's export portfolio to Romania demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

Romania → Bulgaria Imports

$4.08B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
12.8% concentration
1Electrical energy
$522.32M
12.8% of imports
2Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils
$252.45M
6.2% of imports
3Oil seeds: sunflower seeds, whether or not broken
$188.03M
4.6% of imports
4Copper: waste and scrap
$106.68M
2.6% of imports
5Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude
$85.77M
2.1% of imports
6Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
$85.20M
2.1% of imports
7Copper: refined, unwrought, n.e.c. in item no. 7403.1
$57.04M
1.4% of imports
8Ferrous waste and scrap: n.e.c. in heading no. 7204
$51.92M
1.3% of imports
9Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their fractions: oxidised, boiled or otherwise chemically modified, (excluding those of heading no. 1516), inedible mixtures or preparations of fats or oils
$49.26M
1.2% of imports
10Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$46.70M
1.1% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

Bulgaria's import pattern from Romania reveals strategic sourcingin electrical energy, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

Bulgaria demonstrates competitive strength in exportingpetroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas to Romania, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories
🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsstrongcomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Highly Balanced
📈

Growth Potential

The $9.69B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Significant Partnership

Executive Summary: Bulgaria-Romania Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $9.69 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Bulgaria maintains a surplus of $1.53 billion
  • Export Focus: Bulgaria's primary exports include petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas, electrical energy, biodiesel and mixtures thereof: not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from Romania include electrical energy, petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils, oil seeds: sunflower seeds, whether or not broken

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthBalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $9.69B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Bulgaria leveraging its comparative advantages in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Bulgaria's specialization in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gascomplements Romania's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in electrical energy.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $9.69B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationLow
Market DependencyModerate
🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $9.69B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $9.69 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Moderate
🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas and electrical energy demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

Bulgaria's trade surplus of $1.53 billion strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Well Balanced

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in electrical energy present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on electrical energy, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Bulgaria and Romania represents a total trade volume of $9.69 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Bulgaria, with exports exceeding importsby $1.53 billion.

Export Strengths

Bulgaria's exports to Romania total $5.61 billion, with competitive advantages in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas, representing $1.07B or19.0% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from Romania amount to $4.08 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in electrical energy, with Electrical energy comprising12.8% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Bulgaria's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Bulgaria and Romania in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023