The European Union’s imports of finished marble, granite and ceramics hit a five-year record in the first nine months of 2021. In general, finished marble imports in the last five years seem to have a higher growth rate than granite and ceramics.
The table below shows the changes (%) in import value between the nine months of 2017 – 2021:
The table depicts that, despite the pandemic crisis, EU imports of finished marble, granite and ceramics have remained marginally stable. Between the nine months of 2017 – 2021, the import value of marble blocks and slabs increased by +40.43%, granites by +17.94% and ceramics by +33.45%.
Finished marble imports also increased between the first and the second quarters of 2021, a trend that did not continue in the third quarter. The table below shows the changes (%) in import value between the first, second and third quarters of 2021:
The table above illustrates that only finished granite imports maintained an upward trend in the third quarter of 2021. Meanwhile, ceramics imports show a more significant decline compared to marble imports.
In the first nine months of 2021, the European Union member countries with the highest import value in finished marble and ceramics were France, while in finished granite, it was Germany.
The primary suppliers of finished marble in the first nine months of 2021 were Turkey and Italy. In finished granites, it was China and India. In ceramics, it was Italy and Spain.
*The statistics are derived from the analysis of the Harmonized System (HS) Codes:
680221: Marble, travertine and alabaster articles thereof, simply cut or sawn, with a flat or even surface (excl. with a completely or partly planed, sand-dressed, coarsely or finely ground or polished surface, tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802,10, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680291: Marble, travertine and alabaster, in any form (excl. tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802.10, imitation jewellery, clocks, lamps and lighting fittings and parts thereof, buttons, original sculptures and statuary, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680223: Granite and articles thereof, simply cut or sawn, with a flat or even surface (excluding with a completely or partly planed, sand-dressed, coarsely or finely ground or polished surface, tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802 10 00, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680293: Granite, in any form, polished, decorated or otherwise worked (excluding tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802.10, imitation jewellery, clocks, lamps and lighting fittings and parts thereof, original sculptures and statuary, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
6907: Ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles; ceramic mosaic cubes and the like, whether or not on a backing (excl. of siliceous fossil meals or similar siliceous earths, refractory goods, tiles specially adapted as table mats, ornamental articles and tiles specifically manufactured for stoves).
*Due to consistent data flow, statistics may alter during the year
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