Just considering September, exports rose 1.9 percent while imports of goods dropped 1.0 percent compared with 12 months earlier (+2.7 percent and +1.7 percent in August 2015, respectively).
The 1 percent reduction in imports was mainly the result of trade from outside the EU (namely oil). Excluding oil and mineral fuels, exports were 3.6 percent up in September but imports up 6 percent.